HC rejects list of ‘tainted’ teachers: Court seeks fresh names from SSC
Telegraph | 8 January 2026
The high court on Wednesday rejected a list of 1,806 candidates classified as “tainted” for schoolteacher roles, released by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC).
Justice Amrita Sinha instructed the SSC to compile a new list that must contain information such as the rationale behind labelling a specific candidate as “tainted”.
“Categories like rank jumping, OMR sheet manipulation, should also be mentioned in the list of tainted candidates,” Justice Amrita Sinha said.
The court ordered the commission to publish a fresh list by February 11, when the case will be heard next.
On November 27, the SSC issued a list of 1,806 secondary and higher secondary teachers classified as “tainted” and excluded from the recently concluded recruitment process, following a ruling by the high court.
Justice Amrita Sinha had issued an interim order on November 19 directing the SSC to “forthwith” publish a “complete list” of tainted candidates with their addresses and other details.
The November 27 list contained roll numbers from the 2016 examinations, names, dates of birth, parents’ names, and subjects for which candidates were recommended.
An SSC official said on Wednesday: “The list was published to make sure these candidates could not write the selection tests on September 7 and 14, 2025. The Supreme Court said no one from the tainted list should be allowed to participate in the fresh recruitment exercise. How will mentioning the category of guilt help in any way?”
The official added that the commission had mentioned the nature of guilt when it submitted a segregated list of the tainted and the untainted before a Calcutta High Court division bench led by Justice Debanshu Basak.
“The commission will come up with a fresh list as ordered by the court (On Wednesday),” said SSC chairperson Siddhartha Majumder.
A commission official said a list of tainted candidates was released on August 30, 2025, following Supreme Court directives aimed at preventing these candidates from participating in the September selection tests.
The list was published for the second time on November 27 after allegations surfaced that the SSC’s preliminary interview list for higher secondary teachers included tainted candidates barred by the Supreme Court.