WBSSC: New Case in Calcutta High Court Over 10 Marks for Experience and Panel Expiry

WBSSC: The controversy surrounding the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment process seems never-ending. A new case has been filed in the Calcutta High Court challenging the rule of awarding an additional 10 marks for experience and appointments made after the panel’s expiry. Fresher candidates have filed this lawsuit, which could impact the future of thousands of job aspirants in the state.

Main Points of the Lawsuit

The case is primarily based on two main issues:

• Appointments After Panel Expiry: The petitioners allege that many appointments were made even after the expiry of the 2016 First SLST examination panel. According to the rulings of the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court’s division bench, such appointees should be considered ‘tainted’ or ineligible candidates. Despite this, they have been allowed to participate in the new recruitment process, which is against the law.
• The 10-Mark Advantage for Experience: In the new recruitment process, a rule has been introduced to award an additional 10 marks to teachers with prior experience. According to the petitioners, this violates Article 14 of the Constitution (Right to Equality). They argue that as a result, fresher candidates will fall behind even if they score higher in the written examination. This rule creates an unfair advantage and deprives deserving candidates.

Legal Context and Previous Rulings

The lawsuit mentions that the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court have declared appointments made after the panel’s expiry as illegal. A 2022 verdict clearly stated that such candidates cannot participate in any future recruitment processes. Nevertheless, the commission has published a list of about 1806 ‘tainted’ candidates and allowed them to sit for the new examination, which is a direct violation of the court’s order.

The petitioners also pointed out that the panels for the ninth-tenth and eleventh-twelfth classes had expired on March 12 and January 27, 2019, respectively. The validity of the appointments of those who joined after these dates has been questioned.

Concerns of Job Aspirants and the Future

This case has created widespread anxiety among the state’s job aspirants. Fresher candidates claim that if these rules remain, it will become nearly impossible for them to secure jobs in government schools. Even with good scores in the written test, they will lag behind experienced candidates.

Although the hearing is likely to be on September 22nd, there is uncertainty about it starting on the scheduled day as the case is listed far down the roster. However, it is certain that the verdict of this case will have a major impact on the future recruitment processes of the West Bengal School Service Commission. It remains to be seen what the court directs and what steps the state government and the commission take.