In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has upheld the Calcutta High Court’s ruling that annulled nearly 25,000 teaching and non-teaching appointments made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016, branding the entire selection process as deeply compromised by fraud and manipulation.
A Selection Process Beyond Redemption
Delivering the verdict, the Court found that widespread irregularities, fraudulent practices, and efforts to cover them up had rendered the recruitment process irredeemable. It affirmed that the High Court was correct in striking down the appointments wholesale, ruling that those who benefited from the fraudulent process must return any salaries received.
While those found directly implicated in the scandal faced outright cancellation of their employment, the Court offered a lifeline to untainted candidates. Those who previously held positions in government or autonomous bodies would be allowed to reapply within three months and, if reinstated, would retain their seniority and benefits. However, no payments would be made for the period they worked under the voided appointments.
A Deeper Investigation into Corruption
The scandal traces back to the destruction of original Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) answer sheets, allegedly carried out a year after the examination. Investigations revealed severe discrepancies between the results stored on official servers and recovered data, indicating that scores were manipulated to favor undeserving candidates. The Court acknowledged these findings, noting that the fraudulent modifications were widespread and systematic.
The SSC had outsourced the scanning of answer sheets to private companies, one of which later transferred the task to another entity. This sub-delegation raised serious concerns about the integrity of the process. Subsequent Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) findings confirmed deliberate tampering, exposing a scheme that allowed unqualified candidates to secure jobs while legitimate applicants were sidelined.
The Road Ahead
The Supreme Court will next hear arguments regarding the CBI probe into the scandal, a contentious issue given political undertones surrounding the case. While the Court permitted the agency to continue its investigation, it barred coercive action against those under scrutiny for now.
With tens of thousands of jobs now declared void, the ruling leaves the West Bengal education system facing a staffing crisis, just as a new academic session looms. Authorities must now devise a fresh selection process while grappling with the aftermath of one of the most significant recruitment scandals in the state’s history.
