Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Transparency push: RKM monks, IIM Calcutta professor join SSC
Every now and then, a government needs to hire new teachers for its schools.
Choosing who becomes a teacher is a very important job.
Some people thought the way teachers were chosen in the past was not fair.
The government asked four new people to help make the process honest.
Three of them are monks from a respected teaching group called the Ramakrishna Mission.
One of them is a professor from a well-known business school in Calcutta.
This is the first time monks have helped with teacher hiring.
The government says the new helpers will make hiring faster and fairer.
The monks say they want people to trust the process again.
The government inducted three Ramakrishna Mission monks and an IIM Calcutta professor into the School Service Commission (SSC).
SSC chairman Dushyant Nariala announced the new members: Swami Atmapriyananda, Swami Shastrajnananda, Swami Tattwasarananda and Ramya Tarakad Venkateshwaran.
It is the first time monks and a B-school professor have joined a teacher recruitment panel, which previously comprised teachers and officials perceived to be close to the party in power.
School education minister Dipak Barman said the move aims to make regular recruitment transparent and faster, while his Facebook post called for a 'value-based' and 'ideologically driven' education system.
An education department official said recruitment irregularities led to the termination of 17,209 teachers under the Trinamool government, and the monks said they hope to restore the SSC's credibility and people's trust.
- Who
- SSC chairman Dushyant Nariala, school education minister Dipak Barman, three Ramakrishna Mission monks, and IIM Calcutta professor Ramya Tarakad Venkateshwaran
- What
- Three Ramakrishna Mission monks and an IIM Calcutta professor were inducted into the School Service Commission to bring transparency to teacher recruitment.
- When
- The article does not specify the date; the induction was announced by SSC chairman Dushyant Nariala at a news conference.
- Where
- Not explicitly stated; references to the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama at Narendrapur, Belur Math and the state school service commission point to West Bengal, India.
- Why
- To make teacher recruitment transparent and faster, restore the SSC's credibility, and address past irregularities that reportedly led to the termination of 17,209 teachers under the Trinamool government; an official said the BJP government wants to hold recruitment transparently.
- Commission
- School Service Commission (SSC)
- SSC chairman
- Dushyant Nariala, IAS officer and former education secretary
- New members
- 3 Ramakrishna Mission monks and 1 IIM Calcutta professor (4 in total)
- Monks inducted
- Swami Atmapriyananda, Swami Shastrajnananda, Swami Tattwasarananda
- IIM Calcutta professor
- Ramya Tarakad Venkateshwaran
- School education minister
- Dipak Barman
- Teachers terminated under Trinamool
- 17,209 (cited by an education department official)
- Firsts
- First monks and first B-school professor on a teacher recruitment panel