Primary Teacher Recruitment 2025: Will 23-25 D.El.Ed Batch Get Chance? High Court Reserves Verdict

Primary Teacher Recruitment: The legal battle surrounding the West Bengal Primary Teacher Recruitment process has taken another significant turn. The hearing regarding the participation of the 23-25 D.El.Ed batch candidates in the 2025 recruitment drive has concluded at the Calcutta High Court. Justice Bibhas Pattanayak, presiding over the case, has reserved the order after hearing arguments from all sides. Thousands of aspirants are now eagerly awaiting the final verdict.

Key Highlights from the Court Hearing

The hearing took place in Court No. 14 of the Calcutta High Court. On one side were the D.El.Ed candidates of the 23-25 academic session seeking an opportunity to participate in the upcoming recruitment. Opposing them were the West Bengal Board of Primary Education and a section of TET-qualified candidates from 2022.

Arguments by the Petitioners

Advocate Sabir Ahmed, representing the petitioners, presented several strong arguments in favor of the 23-25 batch:

• Context of Supreme Court Order: Citing the Rajasthan High Court context, he argued that the Supreme Court’s directive regarding the invalidation of B.Ed degrees should have a ‘Prospective Effect’ (applicable for the future) rather than a ‘Retrospective’ one.
• Validity of TET Certificate: He emphasized that when the petitioners passed the TET exam, the B.Ed degree was valid. Since they have now acquired D.El.Ed qualifications as well, their TET certificates should not be cancelled.
• Legal Precedents: Citing examples like the ‘Test Prakash Pathak’ case and MBBS examinations, he advocated for allowing ‘Pursuing’ candidates to appear for the recruitment process.
• Question of Equality: The lawyer questioned why the 23-25 batch should be deprived if the 20-22 batch was granted an opportunity, especially when their course is complete and they are merely awaiting results.

Counter-Arguments by the Board and Opponents

Advocate Subir Sanyal, representing the Board, along with other opposing lawyers, countered the claims:

• Special Covid Exemption: The Board argued that the Supreme Court had granted relief to the 20-22 batch due to a “Peculiar situation” arising from the Covid pandemic. This exception, they claimed, is not applicable to the current 23-25 batch.
• Administrative Decision and Deadlines: It was stated that acquiring qualifications within the deadline specified in the notification is a strict administrative decision that must be adhered to.
• Question on TET Validity: Questions were also raised regarding the validity of the TET certificates held by the petitioners.

Heated Exchange and Observations

During the hearing, the courtroom witnessed some tense moments. Advocate Firdaus Shamim questioned the role of the Board’s lawyer, leading to a heated exchange of words. Additionally, Advocate Chaturvedi supported the opposition’s arguments by citing the Jharkhand TET case as an example.

When Can the Verdict be Expected?

After concluding the hearing, Justice Bibhas Pattanayak has reserved the judgment. With December 9 being the last date for form filling for the 2025 Primary Teacher Recruitment, it is expected that the High Court will pronounce the verdict before this date or very soon. The future of thousands of candidates from the 23-25 D.El.Ed batch now hangs on this upcoming court order.