What are the Division Bench’s Directives in the 32000 Teacher Case? A Detailed Analysis of the Order Copy

32000 Teacher Case: The state of West Bengal was keenly awaiting the interim order from the Calcutta High Court’s Division Bench in the 32,000 primary teacher recruitment case. Following arguments from judges and lawyers, the court has scheduled the next hearing date. While this order does not contain a final verdict, it includes several crucial observations and directives that could determine the future course of the case. Let’s delve into the key aspects of these directives.

The Court’s Main Directives

The Division Bench’s stay on the single bench’s order to cancel the jobs remains in effect. After the recent hearing, the court did not issue a final judgment but instead demanded transparency from the Primary Education Board on several critical issues. According to the summary of the order, the court’s main directives and observations are as follows:

• Proof of Aptitude Test: The court has questioned how exactly the aptitude test was conducted during the 2016 recruitment process. Raising concerns about the test’s transparency, the judges have asked the Board to submit evidence regarding it.
• Role of the Third Party: A third-party agency was tasked with evaluating the OMR sheets and publishing the results. The court has sought a clear explanation from the Board about the role of this third party, their qualifications, and the data security measures that were in place.
• Proof of Corruption: The Board’s lawyers have claimed that no concrete evidence of a “cash for jobs” scam has yet emerged. In response, the court stated that the onus of proving the allegations of corruption lies with the petitioners. Simultaneously, the CBI has also been directed to produce documents supporting the claims made in its charge sheet.
• Hearing to Continue: The court has made it clear that the hearing in this case will continue. Emphasis has been placed on hearing arguments from all sides rather than delivering a final verdict at this stage.

Why Are These Questions Important?

The court’s questions are highly significant. Through these inquiries, the Division Bench is trying to scrutinize the lack of transparency and potential irregularities at the very foundation of the recruitment process. If procedures like the aptitude test and OMR evaluation were not conducted according to rules, the legal validity of the entire recruitment process could be questioned. If the Board fails to satisfy the court on these points, the future of the teachers who lost their jobs could be plunged into uncertainty.

Current Status and Next Steps

For now, the stay on the cancellation of the 32,000 teachers’ jobs remains in place. This means they will continue to be employed until further notice.

The next hearing in this case has been scheduled for July 1st, 2025. It is expected that the Board and other parties will respond to the questions raised by the court on that day. Teachers and job aspirants across the state are now looking forward to that day’s hearing, upon which the future of 32,000 families depends.