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West Bengal school staff who lost their jobs sit overnight in front of SSC office in Kolkata

Teaching and non-teaching staff of West Bengal say they will take out a rally from Sealdah to Rani Rashmoni Road in Esplanade to demand separate lists of “genuine” and “tainted” candidates of the 2016 SSC examination.

Having lost their jobs after the Supreme Court annulled the appointments of over 25,000 West Bengal school staffers, they will rally till the Rani Rashmoni Road in Esplanade.

Having lost their jobs after the Supreme Court annulled the appointments of over 25,000 West Bengal school staffers, the people will rally till the Rani Rashmoni Road in Esplanade. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

On a hot Thursday, a group of teaching and non-teaching staff members sat in front of the School Service Commission office in Kolkata’s Salt Lake, before they joined a mega rally at Sealdah. They had been in front of the office since Wednesday night, with their OMR sheets in hand, hopeful that the government might “understand their plight”.

Having lost their jobs after the Supreme Court annulled the appointments of over 25,000 West Bengal school staffers, they will rally till the Rani Rashmoni Road in Esplanade. The demand is for separate lists of “genuine” and “tainted” candidates of the 2016 SSC examination.

This comes a day after police lathi-charged teaching and non-teaching staffers outside the office of the district inspector of schools in the Kasba area, after the groups clashed. Some staff members alleged that the police kicked them.

Pritam Pramanik, a teacher at Rai Diggi school, told The Indian Express: “We demand mirror copies of the lists, and that the list of genuine candidates be certified and published. We are also protesting against yesterday’s incident at the DI office. And why should the tainted get salaries? We will not give voluntary service.

Outside the SSC office, Krishna Mondol told media persons: “No one can ever say that I have given a single penny ever in my life but today, I have lost my job because of some tainted candidates. Where do I stand?”

Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma Wednesday said in a press conference that police are investigating the lathi-charge incident and will take action against anyone found responsible. He said: “Our officer was also injured… But I must say, lathi-charge or kicking the teachers is not desirable.”

Tanusree Bose

Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More

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