The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the School Service Commission (SSC) to ensure that no “tainted” or disqualified candidate takes part in the ongoing recruitment process for Classes XI-XII teachers.
Citing the Supreme Court’s directive, the court ordered the SSC to publish a complete and detailed list of such candidates and to immediately remove their names, if any, from the interview shortlist.
“If any tainted candidate has been included in the interview list, his or her name must be removed. This is the Supreme Court’s directive,” said Justice Amrita Sinha, while hearing the petition.
She also instructed the commission to publish a list with full identifying details, noting that the existing list contains only names and roll numbers.
“A list with only names cannot establish identity. The Supreme Court wanted this list published so that no disqualified candidate can enter a fresh recruitment process,” she said, adding that details such as the father’s name and address must be included so that the individuals can be clearly identified.
The judge pointed out that in many cases, the same candidate had different roll numbers in the 2016 and 2025 recruitment cycles, making it essential to publish a more comprehensive list. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for 3 December.
Justice Sinha’s directions came during the hearing of a petition alleging that the SSC’s latest interview shortlist includes candidates previously declared ineligible.
Petitioners have claimed that despite multiple warnings from the Supreme Court, names of disqualified candidates have found their way into the interview list for Classes XI-XII, raising questions about the commission’s diligence.
Four such candidates were named in the case, including two persons with disabilities.
Responding to the argument that the Supreme Court had granted certain relaxations to specially-abled candidates, Justice Sinha clarified that the exemption applied only to age-related benefits.
“These two individuals are tainted candidates. Why should they participate in the recruitment process? Special relaxations do not override disqualification,” she said, directing the Commission to decide on their inclusion.
The legal action comes at a time when the SSC examination process is once again caught in a legal quagmire, after a group of aspiring teachers moved the High Court, alleging severe irregularities in the interview shortlist.
Petitioners have complained that the list contains names of disqualified candidates, while several new candidates who scored full marks in the written examination were not called for interviews.
They also alleged that some candidates unfairly secured an additional 10 marks by citing teaching experience in primary schools, including part-time work.
The controversy escalated after the SSC released the interview list on Saturday, containing around 20,000 names for 12,445 vacancies.