32000 Primary Teacher Recruitment Case Update: Mega Hearing on July 14th to Decide Future

32000 Primary Teacher Recruitment Case Update: The case regarding the cancellation of jobs for 32,000 primary teachers has reached a new turning point in the Calcutta High Court. The hearing for the case, which challenges the verdict of Justice Amrita Sinha, is underway in the division bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee. A hearing was held on July 7, 2025, and the next date has been set for July 14, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Let’s delve into the important aspects of this case.

Current Status of the Case

This case, with Matt Number 873/2023, is not just a single lawsuit; it is connected to 82 different applications. Besides the teachers who lost their jobs, para-teachers and candidates from other reserved categories have also become parties to this case. The main writ petition is West Bengal Board of Primary Education vs. Priyanka Noskar.

In the last hearing, the lawyers for the dismissed candidates presented their arguments. Lawyers from various sides put forth their points, adding to the complexity of the case.

Arguments from Various Parties

• Argument of Para-teachers: The counsel for the para-teachers, Mr. Jayanta Mitra, argued that an aptitude test was not mandatory for them in the 2016 recruitment process. He further stated that since the number of candidates was less than the vacancies, they should have been appointed even with zero marks in the aptitude test.
• Question on Case’s Locus Standi: Advocate Mr. Ashok Banerjee questioned the very “locus standi” (the right to bring a case) of the writ petition and requested its dismissal before addressing the core merits.
• Argument of Reserved Categories: The lawyer for the ‘land loser’ category, Mr. Saptangshu Basu, argued that in their category too, there were more vacancies than candidates, so everyone should have been appointed.
• Validity of NIOS D.El.Ed Degree: Advocate Mr. Pratik Dhar argued in favor of the NIOS D.El.Ed degree holders. He contended that since the candidates completed their training by April 2019, they should be considered ‘trained’. Therefore, terming them ‘untrained’ in a petition filed in 2023 is illogical.

Judge’s Observations and Next Steps

During the hearing, Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty listened to all parties and gave some crucial instructions for the next hearing.

• Direction for Petitioners’ Preparation: Most importantly, the judge has asked the main writ petitioners, the aggrieved job seekers, to be ready to present their arguments on the next hearing date. This will be the first time their arguments are heard in the Division Bench.
• Balanced Hearing: The judge emphasized a balanced hearing, where the dismissed parties will get a chance to reply only after hearing the arguments of the original petitioners.

The upcoming hearing on July 14, 2025, is extremely crucial. It may provide a clear direction in determining the fate of the 32,000 primary teachers. All eyes are now on the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court.