Candidates who lost jobs stage protest outside SSC office

Kolkata: Candidates who lost their job following the verdict of Calcutta High Court in the 2016 recruitment staged a demonstration outside the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) office on Friday. The Commission chairman Siddharth Majumder met with 10 representatives from the protesters and explained the legal constraints pertaining to the matter.

While expressing his sympathy towards legitimate candidates who allegedly lost their jobs in the case, he assured them that the commission will do everything possible within the legal framework to assist them. The Calcutta High Court had declared around 25,753 appointments–both teaching and non-teaching–granted in the selection process of 2016 as “null and void and cancelled.” It was challenged in the Supreme Court by the state government. According to a news agency, the state argued that the High Court instead of segregating the valid from invalid appointments has set the 2016 recruitment entirely. It was further pleaded that the special bench had relied upon oral arguments without the support of affidavits.

It was stated that the result of this judgement will create a vacuum in the state unless the new selection process is completed. Hence, it will impact the students considering the upcoming new academic session. The Supreme Court recently stayed CBI probe with regard to the state government officials involved in approving supernumerary posts to accommodate illegal appointments and to take such persons into custodial interrogation if necessary.

However, the apex court turned down the prayer for stay of High Court’s direction to cancel the appointments of 25,753 candidates, which includes both teaching and non-teaching staff who were appointed in 2016.