The Calcutta High Court Monday ordered the West Bengal State Service Commission (WBSSC) to publish the entire list of “tainted” candidates for Group C and Group D from the ongoing recruitment process for assistant teachers in government-run schools.
The order by Justice Amrita Sinha came on petitions filed by fresh candidates and those on the 2016 waiting list in Group C and Group D, alleging that the Commission has not yet published the names of all tainted candidates.
“Only 3,512 names have been published. The Supreme Court had found 7,293 tainted candidates. This list is incomplete. No categories have been mentioned. We pray for publishing the full list with full details,” the petitioners’ counsel Firdous Shamim submitted in court.
“The interim prayer is to publish the full list of candidates. Let it be done. It was directed by SC and HC as well,” Justice Sinha observed.
Following a Supreme Court order, the Commission published the names and roll numbers of 1,806 “tainted” candidates and cancelled their admit cards on August 30. Later, it released a separate list of 3,512 “tainted” non-teaching staff in November 2025.
‘Give us some breathing space’
Justice Sinha also asked SSC, “Why don’t you publish the entire thing according to the court’s order?”
Senior counsel Kalyan Banerjee, who represented WBSSC, said the Supreme Court has not passed any such order. “We will publish it part by part. Give us some breathing space.”
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The court observed, “The same submission was given by you last time as well. But SC has specifically ordered that no tainted can participate in the exam.”
Advocate General Kishore Datta informed the court, “We have a provision that in the post-examination stage, if some tainted people are found, we can always cancel their candidature.”
After hearing all sides, the court directed the West Bengal State Service Commission to publish the list of all candidates “who have been found to have rank jumped, out of panel, but still appointed and candidates with OMR mismatch”.
“Along with names and roll number, their father’s name, and the details of their appointment for public viewing. Upload the details of such candidates in terms of the SC order so that none of the tainted candidates can slip in through the recruitment process, and also, the tainted names have to be published in the public domain. Commission ought to ensure that the process is transparent, free and fair,” said Justice Sinha.
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“The candidates whose names appear in the list of tainted candidates will not be allowed to take part in the recruitment process. Details of candidates after expiry of the panel have to be produced before the court.”
SC order and after
The Supreme Court ordered the termination of jobs of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff in Bengal government-aided secondary and higher secondary schools in April this year, calling the 2016 recruitment process of WBSSC “tainted”.
The court said “untainted” employees would receive salaries till December, while 1,806 “tainted” teachers were barred from returning to schools after the state secondary education board filed an appeal.
On May 30, the Commission issued a notice for the recruitment of 35,726 teachers for classes 9-10 and 11-12, in line with the Supreme Court directive to issue the notification by May 31. In July, the Commission announced the new examination dates.
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In July, the Calcutta High Court dismissed an appeal filed by WBSSC and the state government seeking permission for “tainted” teachers to participate in the fresh recruitment process.
According to WBSSC’s current notice, 23,312 assistant teachers will be recruited for classes 9-10 and 12,514 for classes 11-12. Around 20,000 candidates have been called for interviews for teaching classes 11-12, including about 9,500 fresh candidates.
A senior official said the names have been shortlisted in a 1:1.6 ratio — 16 candidates for every 10 posts.
