3 weeks ago
Schoolteachers axed by court urge Suvendu to honor commitment
Many school teachers in the Indian state of West Bengal lost their jobs even though they had done nothing wrong.
Terminated but untainted schoolteachers marched from Sealdah to Esplanade on Friday, demanding the government protect their jobs.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, as leader of the Opposition in September 2025, had pledged to return jobs to deserving candidates if the BJP came to power.
The Supreme Court terminated 17,209 secondary and higher secondary teachers in April last year over a 'vitiated' 2016 recruitment process by the School Service Commission.
Affected teachers will receive salaries only until August 31, and many of the 15,403 who sat fresh selection tests did not qualify.
Protesters said the government has not published selection test results for 8,544 sacked Group C and D staff, who are not receiving salaries.
- Who
- Terminated but untainted schoolteachers, such as life science teacher Suman Biswas, along with 8,544 sacked Group C and D non-teaching staff.
- What
- A demand that chief minister Suvendu Adhikari honor his commitment to protect the jobs of teachers sacked by the Supreme Court over a 'vitiated' recruitment process.
- Where
- From Sealdah to Esplanade.
- When
- The march was held on Friday; the Supreme Court's termination order came in April last year, and Adhikari made his pledge in September 2025.
- Why
- The teachers were judged untainted but lost their jobs because the 2016 recruitment process was 'vitiated', and they will stop receiving salaries after August 31 unless the government acts.
Teachers' Plea
Court-Ordered Process
Protecting untainted teachers' jobs
Teachers' Plea
Terminated but untainted teachers should keep their jobs as promised and should not be rendered jobless after August 31 despite being innocent.
Court-Ordered Process
The jobs were terminated because the 2016 recruitment process was 'vitiated'; the Supreme Court's remedy is for candidates to qualify through fresh selection tests.
Value of fresh selection tests
Teachers' Plea
Many of the 15,403 candidates failed the fresh tests and will become jobless despite being untainted, so the government must honor its commitment.
Court-Ordered Process
Fresh selection tests were held last September in keeping with the Supreme Court directive, and qualifying candidates proceed to document verification and interviews.
Key facts
- Protest
- March from Sealdah to Esplanade
- Teachers terminated
- 17,209 (secondary and higher secondary, government-aided schools)
- Terminated but untainted
- 15,403 (sat fresh selection tests last September)
- Salary cutoff
- August 31 (per Supreme Court order)
- Non-teaching staff sacked
- 8,544 (Group C and D)
- Chief minister pledge
- September 2025, as leader of the Opposition
- Recruitment issue
- 'Vitiated' process by the School Service Commission in 2016
Quotes
Suman Biswas
Teacher and protester, former life science teacher
““As the leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari in September 2025 said he would ensure that deserving candidates got their jobs back once the BJP was voted to power. The BJP is now in power. But we do not see any steps from the government, in power for over three months now.””
telegraphindia.com
““But the BJP government has yet to publish the results of the selection tests. Unlike the untainted but terminated teachers, we are not getting any salary. This government is doing nothing about us.””
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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