Primary Teacher Recruitment Supreme Court Big Order 20 22 DElEd Candidates Hurdle Cleared

Primary Teacher Recruitment: The Supreme Court of India has once again taken a stern stance to resolve the long-standing legal complexities surrounding the teacher recruitment process of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE). Recently, the apex court issued a crucial order regarding Primary Teacher Recruitment, specifically focusing on the D.El.Ed candidates of the 20-22 session. This directive was given by the justices during the hearing of a Contempt of Court case filed against the President of the West Bengal Primary Education Board, Mr. Goutam Pal, reigniting hope among thousands of job aspirants in the state.

Background of the Case and Supreme Court’s Intervention

The roots of this case lie in a judgment delivered by the Supreme Court on April 4, 2025. At that time, the court had directed the Primary Education Board to complete the recruitment process for the D.El.Ed candidates of the 20-22 session. However, as the Board failed to implement that order within a reasonable time, the case of Sukhendu Naskar vs. Goutam Pal was filed. The Diary Number of the case is 6420/2025. The petitioners alleged that despite clear instructions from the court, the Board was unnecessarily delaying the recruitment process.

Court’s Observations and Key Decisions

The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha and other justices, made several significant observations in this case, which will be pivotal in determining the future of the recruitment process:

• Implementation of Previous Order: The court unequivocally stated that the Board must immediately comply with and implement the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court on 04/04/2025.
• Reason and Validity of Delay: The court ruled that the delay in the examination and result publication for the 20-22 session D.El.Ed candidates was not an “Illegality”. According to the court, the COVID-19 pandemic created an “Extraordinary Situation” at that time. Therefore, candidates cannot be deprived of recruitment due to this delay.
• Validity of Recruitment Notification: The Supreme Court has validated the Recruitment Notification published by the Primary Education Board on October 21, 2022. The court noted that this notification is valid under Article 142 of the Constitution and has not been challenged by anyone.

Strict Instruction to the Board: Start Recruitment Immediately

During the hearing, the court strictly instructed the Board to proceed with the recruitment process “Immediately” and “Expeditiously” without any further delay. This observation makes it clear that the court will not tolerate any further procrastination in the recruitment process.

Next Steps and Hearing Date

The Supreme Court has directed the Primary Education Board to file a Counter Affidavit. In this affidavit, the Board must inform the court about the specific steps they have taken regarding the recruitment following the court’s order. The next hearing for the case has been scheduled for January 9, 2026. On that day, the Board must present a report of their actions to the court.

Legal experts believe that this order significantly clears the path for the recruitment of the 20-22 session D.El.Ed candidates, which had been stalled for a long time.