The Calcutta High Court is set to issue its verdict on April 22nd regarding a large-scale recruitment scandal involving government-aided schools in West Bengal. The controversy centers on alleged irregularities in the 2016 selection process for teachers and staff.
Following a previous high court ruling, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigated the case, leading to the arrest of former state education minister Partha Chatterjee and other West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) officials.
A division bench of the high court, comprising Justices Debangsu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashidi, will be delivering the judgment. This bench was formed upon the Supreme Court's directive to expedite the resolution of numerous petitions and appeals related to the 2016 State Level Selection Test (SLST) conducted by the SSC. The disputed recruitment process involved positions for teachers (Grades IX-XII) and Group C & D staff, as reported by Edex Live.
The high court previously ordered a CBI investigation after claims of irregularities surfaced in response to writ petitions filed by unsuccessful SLST-2016 candidates. Inconsistencies in the selection process also led the court to terminate the employment of certain teachers and non-teaching staff.
The Supreme Court had earlier intervened, directing the formation of a dedicated division bench in November 2023 to address all appeals and petitions concerning the SLST-2016 recruitment. The Supreme Court's order also granted a six-month stay on the high court's termination orders to allow the division bench time for its judgment.
With the CBI investigation complete and a report submitted, the upcoming verdict is expected to bring some closure to this high-profile recruitment controversy.