SSC Salary Recovery: West Bengal Govt Orders Recovery of Salaries from Tainted SSC Teachers with Interest

SSC Salary Recovery: The West Bengal government has initiated a strict course of action in the ongoing SSC recruitment scam case. Following the directives of the Supreme Court, the State School Education Department has ordered the recovery of salaries from teachers and non-teaching staff identified as “Tainted” or illegally appointed. This order mandates that the entire salary drawn by these employees must be refunded along with interest.

Implementing the Supreme Court’s Directive

This decisive move stems from the Supreme Court’s judgment in the case of ‘State of West Bengal Vs. Baishakhi Bhattacharyya Chatterjee’ (SLP No. 9586 of 2024). The Apex Court upheld the cancellation of appointments, labelling the recruitment process for these candidates as “Fraud” and “Cheating.”

Key aspects of the judicial observation include:

• The Supreme Court found no reason to interfere with the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel the appointments.
• Candidates proven to be appointed through corruption must return their salaries.
• The recovery includes the principal amount plus applicable interest.

The Recovery Mechanism

To execute this order, the School Education Department has issued notifications to District Magistrates (DMs) across the state. The recovery process will be governed by specific legal frameworks:

• Legal Act: The administration will utilize the Bengal Public Demands Recovery Act of 1913 to reclaim the public money.
• Identification: DMs have been instructed to coordinate with the District Inspectors of Schools (DI). They must utilize the official list of ‘Tainted’ candidates published on the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) website to identify the individuals and their addresses.
• Action: Legal notices and subsequent recovery steps are to be initiated against the identified individuals immediately.

Notifications Issued to Districts

Specific notifications, dated January 31, 2025, have already been dispatched to several districts, including Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, South Dinajpur, and Bankura. This highlights the administration’s intent to enforce the court’s order across the state.

Why the Sudden Move?

While the Supreme Court’s judgment regarding these specific directives dates back to April 2025 (as per the source documents), the state’s recent notification indicates a push to comply with the judicial orders. It is believed that this step is a strategic move to avoid any potential “Contempt Application” or legal backlash in the Supreme Court. By initiating the recovery process, the state aims to demonstrate its commitment to obeying the court’s verdict before upcoming hearings.

This development marks a significant turn in the SSC recruitment saga, placing a massive financial liability on thousands of candidates whose appointments have been declared illegal.