Setback to Bengal government, Supreme court upholds dismissal of 25,000 teachers

In a major development surrounding the recruitment process in West Bengal, the Supreme Court has upheld the Calcutta High Court’s verdict invalidating the appointments of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in state-run and state-aided schools.

The apex court’s ruling, delivered on April 3, 2025, has confirmed the earlier decision, declaring that the recruitment process was tainted by serious irregularities, leading to the cancellation of these appointments.

A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar concluded that the recruitment process in question was fundamentally flawed. In its judgment, the court stated that manipulations in the recruitment process had compromised the integrity of the appointments to such an extent that they could not be sustained. The justices emphasized that the entire selection process was vitiated and tainted, making the appointments invalid.

The court’s decision reinforces the Calcutta High Court’s April 2024 verdict, which had annulled the appointments of over 25,000 staff members across various schools in West Bengal. As part of the ruling, the Supreme Court directed that all individuals who were appointed during the controversial recruitment process would be terminated from their positions. However, in a relief to those affected, the court made it clear that the individuals would not be required to refund any salaries or benefits that they had already received.

The case

The case revolves around the 2016 recruitment conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) for the appointment of teachers and non-teaching staff in state-run and state-aided schools. A total of 23 lakh candidates had competed for 24,640 vacancies, but despite this, a shocking 25,753 appointment letters were issued. The irregularities in the recruitment process, such as tampering with OMR sheets and instances of rank-jumping, were flagged by the Calcutta High Court, which ultimately led to the cancellation of these appointments.

The matter reached the Supreme Court after petitions were filed by several parties, including the West Bengal government, challenging the high court’s ruling. On December 19, 2024, the Supreme Court began hearings on the matter, which continued through January and February 2025. The apex court eventually reserved its judgment on February 10, 2025, with the final verdict being delivered on April 3, 2025.

What happens next

With the Supreme Court upholding the Calcutta High Court’s decision, the next steps will include the implementation of the termination orders for the appointed individuals. Those who were appointed outside the officially recognized vacancies or after the expiry of the official recruitment date have been directed to return all remunerations and benefits received, along with 12% interest, as stipulated by the Calcutta High Court.

Although the Supreme Court’s ruling cancels the appointments, it has allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to continue its probe into the recruitment irregularities. The CBI’s investigation, which had been permitted by the apex court in May 2024, is ongoing and may lead to further legal consequences for those involved in the alleged manipulations.