Primary Teacher Recruitment: West Bengal Primary Education Board’s New Circular on 2016 Recruitment Process

Primary Teacher Recruitment: The West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) issued a new circular on July 8, 2025, concerning the 2016 recruitment process for 42,949 primary teachers. This notification directs all District Primary School Councils (DPSCs) to refrain from disclosing any documents related to the 2016 recruitment drive. This step has been taken due to an ongoing case in the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court, which is linked to the cancellation of 32,000 jobs.

Key Points

The main highlights of this new circular are:

• Ban on Document Disclosure: Until further notice, no DPSC can release any documents or information regarding the 2016 recruitment.
• Maintaining Confidentiality: The Board has requested all DPSCs to preserve all recruitment-related paperwork with utmost confidentiality.
• Impact on RTI Applications: As a result of this directive, the possibility of receiving a response to applications filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act for information on the 42,949 panel has diminished.
• Court’s Directive is Paramount: Information can only be disclosed upon a court order; otherwise, no information can be provided to any person or authority without the Board’s permission.

Why This Decision?

The 2016 primary teacher recruitment process has been embroiled in a legal battle for a long time. The case concerning the cancellation of jobs for 32,000 untrained teachers is currently sub judice in the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court. In this situation, the Board has taken this strict measure to maintain the transparency and confidentiality of the recruitment process. According to the Board, since the matter is under judicial consideration, any leak of information could potentially influence the legal proceedings.

What Does This Mean for Job Aspirants?

This circular has further increased the anxiety of job aspirants who were awaiting information regarding the 2016 recruitment process. Particularly those who were trying to ascertain their status through RTI will now likely not receive any answers. They are left with no option but to wait for the final verdict from the court.

In this scenario, candidates are advised to remain patient and trust the legal process. This move by the Board is temporary, and the next steps will only become clear after the court delivers its final judgment. This is a critical time for all parties involved in this recruitment process, and everyone should await the court’s decision.