Teacher Recruitment: High Court Stays Cancellation of 313 Teacher Jobs, Major Relief for Teachers!

GTA Teacher Recruitment: In a dramatic turn of events regarding the GTA teacher recruitment scam, the Calcutta High Court’s Division Bench has granted a significant reprieve to hundreds of teachers in the hills. The court has issued an interim stay on the Single Bench’s earlier order that mandated the cancellation of jobs for 313 teachers in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area. For now, these teachers retain their positions and have breathed a sigh of relief.

The Division Bench, comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Biswaroop Chowdhury, heard the appeal against the dismissal. The bench ordered a stay on the termination for 12 weeks. This implies that until the hearings conclude or further orders are issued, none of the affected teachers will lose their jobs.

Background of the Single Bench Ruling

Previously, Justice Biswajit Basu of the Calcutta High Court’s Single Bench had taken a stern stance against alleged corruption in hill teacher recruitment. The Single Bench had ordered the termination of 313 (some sources say 317) teachers, observing that the recruitment process was entirely illegal. Justice Basu noted that under the guise of “regularization,” fresh appointments were made, violating statutory rules. Questions were also raised about whether the schools were operating in compliance with Section 73 of the GTA Act.

Court’s Observation vs. GTA’s Argument

During the legal proceedings, intense arguments were exchanged between the GTA counsel and the court. The GTA argued that due to the volatile political situation in the hills at the time, a standard recruitment process could not be conducted. Consequently, Roshan Giri had proposed the regularization of existing teachers.

However, the court was not convinced by this defense. In a significant counter-observation, the court noted that if recruitments in other sectors were possible during the same period, the claim that political instability hindered teacher recruitment holds no water. The judiciary viewed this maneuver as a strategy for backdoor appointments rather than genuine regularization.

Status of the Investigation

While the termination order has been stayed, the investigation into the alleged corruption continues unabated. The court’s stance on the probe remains firm:

• CID Investigation: The directive for the State Police or CID to continue their investigation remains in force. The probe is proceeding based on an FIR lodged at the Bidhannagar North Police Station.
• CBI Probe: It is worth noting that while the Single Bench had initially ordered a CBI inquiry, the Supreme Court set it aside. The Apex Court accepted the State Government’s submission that the state police were capable of conducting the investigation.

For the moment, the Division Bench’s order has brought relief to the 313 teachers and their families. However, Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty has made it clear that if concrete evidence of illegality or corruption in the recruitment process is found, the appointments will eventually be cancelled. The final verdict now rests on the outcome of future hearings and the evidence presented.