“Won’t allow eligible ones lose their job: Mamata to jobless teachers
The Statesman | 8 April 2025
Days after decrying the Supreme Court’s verdict on the appointment of 25,000 government school teachers in West Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee today assured the affected candidates that she stands by all those who have lost their jobs. Nearly 25,753 school teachers, who lost their jobs overnight, following a Supreme Court order on the 2016 recruitment panel gathered at the Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday, clinging to hope and awaiting direction.
In response, chief minister Mamata Banerjee offered a strong message of assurance, promising that all “eligible” teachers would be reinstated within two months. The Supreme Court, in a recent ruling, scrapped the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment panel, citing “institutional corruption” and declaring the panel “unconstitutional.” As a result, thousands of teachers were rendered jobless, including around 7,000 termed “ineligible.” The fate of the remaining teachers could not be determined due to lack of clarity in records, SSC had informed the court.
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Addressing the gathering, Mamata Banerjee said: “The state government will ensure jobs for all eligible candidates within two months. Your service will not be considered broken. The government takes full responsibility for your employment.” The chief minister further advised the affected teachers to voluntarily continue teaching at their schools until formal instructions are issued. “No one will stop you from going to school. Work voluntarily if you can. Two months of hardship will ensure 20 years of reward,” she said. Banerjee also raised concerns over the Supreme Court judgment, questioning whether there was any “conspiracy” behind the sweeping cancellation of appointments. “Those who have performed well and cleared the tests are now being labelled as thieves by the court. Is that justice? We hope the voice of justice does not remain unheard,” she remarked. Pointing to the ambiguities in the 3 April verdict, Banerjee said her government would write to the Supreme Court seeking clarity and request a list of eligible candidates. “We want to know what will happen to those who have been declared eligible. If justice is denied, we have alternative plans,” she added. For those declared ineligible, the chief minister made her stance clear: “Let us first make arrangements for the eligible ones. If someone is proven ineligible, nothing can be done.”
In a show of solidarity, Mamata Banerjee assured the jobless teachers: “You will not have to beg. We are not heartless. There is a conspiracy to dismantle the education system, but we won’t let that happen. I promise, no eligible teacher will lose their jobs.” The rally was marked by emotional appeals, passionate slogans, and a glimmer of hope that justice and employment might soon be restored. While she was addressing the gathering of jobless teachers at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Mamata Banerjee launched a sharp attack: “Have you forgotten the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh? There was a scam in NEET too. But no one lost their jobs. Is it only in Bengal that every issue is branded a conspiracy? There is a plot to dismantle Bengal’s education system. Isn’t there some hidden agenda behind this verdict?” The nationwide medical entrance examination had sparked a massive outcry about a year ago over allegations of corruption. It was found that some scorecards showed marks higher than the total possible score, and the merit list was published based on those. This anomaly exposed the scam, leading to widespread uproar and accusations that genuine meritorious candidates were denied opportunities.
Referring to these past scams, Mamata targeted the BJP, saying: “As long as I’m alive, I won’t let deserving candidates lose their jobs. I want to tell the Supreme Court—if you can’t grant jobs, at least don’t take them away. To protect the education system, teachers should be allowed to continue their work.”