'Edu dept to set up addl posts for SSC qualifiers'

KOLKATA: The state Education department has proposed to set up additional posts for recruiting candidates, who have cleared the SSC examination, Education minister Bratya Basu said on Monday.

Meanwhile, the representatives of the agitating SSC candidates, who met Basu on Monday, said that the meeting was fruitful as the minister had assured that the appointments would be made soon.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Education department are sympathetic towards the SSC candidates. The Education department has sought the exact number of posts that need to be created by the School Education department," Basu said.

He added that clearance of the state Finance department is required to create the new posts and finally the matter needs the approval of the Cabinet headed by the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, the representatives of the agitating SSC candidates, who met Basu on Monday, said the meeting was fruitful as the minister had assured that the appointments would be made soon.

Basu, along with Manish Jain, Principal Secretary Education department, and Siddhartha Mazumdar, Chairman, School Service Commission (SSC), met the representatives of the SSC candidates, who had cleared the test but did not get a job. The meeting lasted for more than an hour.

"The Education department is sincerely trying to resolve the impasse. But our agitation, which is 512 days old, will continue till the matter is sorted out," said Sahidullah, leader of the agitating students.

He said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had told the then Education minister Partha Chatterjee in 2019 to give jobs to all the successful SSC candidates, but Chatterjee did not pay any heed to her directive.

On July 29, Abhishek Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary, met representatives of the agitating students and assured them that the Education minister would meet them on August 8. Accordingly, the meeting on Monday was held.