World
India
In a massive show of dissent, hundreds of jobless teaching and non-teaching staff staged a protest outside the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) headquarters on Monday, demanding the immediate publication of the 2016 recruitment list. The demonstration comes weeks after the Supreme Court’s April 3 verdict, which declared the entire 2016 SSC recruitment panel null and void due to widespread irregularities, leading to the termination of around 26,000 staff from state-run and state-aided schools.
The protestors, under the banner of the Deserving Teachers Rights Forum, marched from Karunamoyee Central Park to Acharya Bhavan at Wipro More, where the WBSSC office is located, before launching a sit-in. They are demanding that the Commission release a comprehensive list of both “untainted” and “tainted” candidates, as promised earlier this month by Education Minister Bratya Basu.
On April 11, Minister Basu had assured that the WBSSC would upload the complete list on its official website within two weeks. Protesters claim that during discussions, both WBSSC Chairman Siddhartha Majumdar and the Minister committed to publishing the list by April 21.
“We will not budge from this spot until the WBSSC publishes the total and comprehensive list today. We are not ready to return to schools until the Commission officially acknowledges our status as eligible candidates,” said Sutapa Malick, one of the affected teachers.
A spokesperson from the Deserving Teachers Rights Forum reiterated the demand: “The government has to live up to its promise and clear our names officially. We deserve clarity on our future.”
The Supreme Court verdict has caused immense distress among those appointed through the 2016 recruitment drive, many of whom have been serving for years. The delay in releasing the official list has further deepened uncertainty about their professional and personal lives.
As the deadline approaches, all eyes are now on the WBSSC to see whether it will honor its commitment and provide the much-awaited clarity to thousands of displaced educators across West Bengal.
ALSO READ: ‘Feels Like Standing On The Moon’, Aditya Thackeray Slams Poor Road Quality In Mumbai
