Primary 2020-22 Case: Is the Future of D.El.Ed. 20-22 Job Aspirants Uncertain Again? WBBPE’s New Plea Creates a Stir

Primary 2020-22 Case: Despite orders from the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court, the complexity surrounding the recruitment of D.El.Ed. 2020-22 batch job aspirants continues. Recently, the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) has filed a new miscellaneous application in the Supreme Court, adding a new dimension to this recruitment process and increasing the anxiety of the candidates. The main objective of this application is to seek the court’s direction for the reclassification or reappropriation of the remaining 11,765 vacancies from the 2022 recruitment process.

Current Status of the Case

The Supreme Court had delivered a verdict on April 4, 2024, directing the immediate appointment of the D.El.Ed. 20-22 batch candidates. However, even after that ruling, the job aspirants have not yet received their appointment letters. Allegations of inability or unwillingness to implement this order have been raised against the Board. Initially, the Board had stated that more than 2,100 vacancies were reserved for the D.El.Ed. 20-22 candidates. But in their new application, they have mentioned a dilemma regarding the remaining vacancies, which completely contradicts their previous claim.

Reason for the Board’s New Application

The core issue of the new application filed by the Board is the prayer to direct the state government to “reclassify or reappropriate” the 11,765 vacancies under the 2022 notification. This has effectively created a possibility of re-evaluating the entire recruitment panel. This move by the Board suggests that they themselves are confused about how to appoint the D.El.Ed. 2020-22 candidates. The application indicates that they are unable to appoint these candidates due to a perceived lack of available vacancies.

What is the Future for the Job Aspirants?

As a result of this new application by the Board, the future of the D.El.Ed. 20-22 job aspirants has once again been pushed into uncertainty. Their appointment process is now entirely dependent on the Supreme Court’s decision. Some possible solutions to this case could be:

• Vacancy Reservation: If the NIOS D.El.Ed. candidates fail to meet the required criteria, those vacancies could be reserved for the D.El.Ed. 20-22 candidates.
• Creation of Supernumerary Posts: If the Supreme Court deems it necessary, it could direct the state government to create supernumerary or additional posts to accommodate these candidates.

For now, all job aspirants and the education community are looking forward to the next hearing in the Supreme Court. The apex court’s decision will determine the future of thousands of candidates from the D.El.Ed. 20-22 batch.