Non teaching staff question exclusion as unaffected teachers return to schools after supreme court order.
Times of India | 18 April 2025
12 Kolkata: Even as 'untainted' teachers prepared to return to classes on Saturday, non-teaching staff who were also caught in the SSC tangle wondered aloud why those untainted among them were not allowed to rejoin school. "Are we not part of functioning schools?" was a question repeatedly heard from the Group C and Group D staff following the Supreme Court order on Thursday.
These staff members are also fighting the legal battle alongside teachers after losing their jobs following the Supreme Court order earlier this month. On Thursday, the court considered a miscellaneous application filed by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) and permitted 'untainted' teachers to continue their services until December 31. Staff members questioned why their role was overlooked when they also worked hard to ensure schools operated smoothly.
Sudam Mandal, the only earning member of his family, said, "We also play a vital role in running the school, but we are paid less than teachers. When teachers can now attend schools, why can't we? What will we do? We are in the same boat. We will continue our legal battle."
Asit Haldar, another Group D staff member at a school in Raidighi where Sudam worked, said, "We both worked at the same school as lab assistants. In the absence of the lab assistant, who will run the work at the laboratories? Moreover, the school will function only after it is unlocked every morning. Can teachers manage schools alone?" Asit appeared for the test for the appointment of Group D staff members even after having a master's degree in Geography and a B.Ed. "I appeared for the test only to get a govt job. I was eager to get a govt job when I saw the advertisement for the recruitment of Group D staff members. I applied even though I had an MSc degree. After working for six years, I never thought this day would come."
Monotosh Sardar, who served as Group C staff at a school in South Dinajpur and is the only earning member of his family, said, "We do a thankless job where we hardly get time to rest. In my school, where I worked for the last six years, I was the only staff member to do all official work like uploading data in the portal, salary-related official processing, and other official tasks. Now I am completely jobless. I don't know how to face my wife. How will I manage to run my family and buy milk for my son because he is three years old now, and soon I have to admit him to a school? After proving my merit, I got the job, so why should I be punished for others' wrongdoing? Is this justice?"
The same sentiment was echoed among school heads too. Advanced Society for Headmasters and Headmistresses general secretary Chandan Maiti said, "Non-teaching staff members are equally important for running schools. If teachers can continue, why not staff members?" MSID:: 120385516 413 |