3 weeks ago
Bengal SSC resumes teacher recruitment with 17% OBC quota
In West Bengal, a big group of teachers was going to be hired for schools.
The old government said some jobs should be set aside for OBC people, who come from certain communities.
They set the number at 17 out of every 100 jobs.
The new government wanted to lower that to 7 out of every 100 jobs.
But legal experts said the earlier rule should be used for this hiring process.
So the hiring process has started again with the 17% rule.
People are checking school papers and doing interviews again.
A very important court called the Supreme Court says all the hiring must be done by August 31, 2026.
Many teachers who lost their jobs can try again.
The government might ask the court for more time if needed.
The School Service Commission has resumed teacher recruitment in Bengal using the 17% OBC reservation set under the previous TMC government.
The new BJP government had reduced the quota to 7%, but legal opinion backed keeping the 17% norms from last year's recruitment gazette.
Document verification for secondary-level candidates resumed on July 30; counselling for the remaining 12 higher secondary subjects resumes on August 14.
The Supreme Court wants around 35,000 teacher appointments completed by August 31, 2026, after cancelling 17,209 appointments in April 2025.
The state may seek a deadline extension to help 15,403 'terminated but untainted' teachers, whose salaries are paid only until August 31.
- Who
- The School Service Commission (SSC) of West Bengal, state education officials, and the Supreme Court of India
- What
- Teacher recruitment for secondary and higher secondary government-aided schools has resumed with a 17% OBC reservation
- Where
- West Bengal, India
- When
- August 2026 - document verification resumed July 30 and counselling resumes August 14
- Why
- Legal opinion advised keeping the 17% quota in force when recruitment began, and the Supreme Court set an August 31, 2026 completion deadline
Supporters of 17% OBC reservation
Supporters of 7% OBC reservation
OBC quota percentage in teacher recruitment
Supporters of 17% OBC reservation
The 17% quota notified in last year's recruitment gazette should apply because the process began under those rules and covers more sub-castes.
Supporters of 7% OBC reservation
The May 18 notification reverting to the 2010 norms, with 7% reservation for 66 OBC classes, should apply to posts and services under the Bengal government.
Key facts
- OBC reservation applied
- 17% (as per last year's recruitment gazette notification)
- OBC reservation in May 18 notification
- 7% for 66 OBC classes
- Teachers to be recruited
- Around 35,000 for secondary and higher secondary posts
- Appointments cancelled by Supreme Court
- 17,209 teachers (April 2025)
- 'Terminated but untainted' teachers
- 15,403
- Supreme Court deadline
- August 31, 2026
- Counselling resumes
- August 14, 2026 (remaining 12 higher secondary subjects)
- Document verification resumed
- July 30, 2026
Quotes
School education department official
Official from the Bengal school education department overseeing SSC processes
“"As the SSC has been asked to proceed with recruitments based on the 17% OBC reservation, the commission has resumed document verification for secondary‑level candidates and will restart the pending counselling for higher secondary posts on August 14."”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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