Nearly 350 sacked teachers have filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court, claiming that their names have been erroneously put in the list of ‘tainted’ candidates, and, therefore, they should be allowed to retake the next week’s teachers’ recruitment exam.

Seeking an urgent hearing in the matter, Advocate Anindiya Lahiri, appearing for the petitioners, told the Bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharjee that the recruitment examinations are scheduled for September 7 and September 14, and they had received the admit cards, which now stand cancelled after they were named in the list of ‘tainted’ candidates.

“The Commission has issued admit cards to three other categories (after expiry, without recommendation, and blank OMR), but we do not fall under those categories… We are erroneously placed in the SSC list of August 30. We do not fall under the three categories specified by the single bench and division bench (of the High Court)… We are untainted,” Advocate Lahiri told the Bench.

On August 30 (Saturday), the WBSSC, acting on the directions of the Supreme Court, released a list of 1,806 ‘tainted’ candidates.

Initially, Justice Bhattacharjee observed that since the matter was being heard by the Supreme Court and the list was published as per its orders, it would be better if the petitioners moved the apex court.

However, the petitioners urged the High Court to take up the matter since the exam is less than a week away.

“Please take it up. And if we cannot satisfy your lordship, then dismiss it. Exams are on September 7 and 14. It is very urgent. Kindly take it up,” Lahiri told the Bench.

The court agreed to hear the matter on Tuesday.

In April, the Supreme Court ordered the sacking of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff at the government-aided schools at the secondary and higher secondary levels, calling the 2016 SSC recruitment process “vitiated and tainted.”

Later, the Supreme Court allowed “untainted” candidates to receive salaries till December, and directed the Commission to identify and release the list of ‘tainted’ candidates who have been barred from reappearing in the fresh recruitment drive.