HC allows WBCSC to continue hiring of assistant profs as per December 24 notification

kolkata: The Calcutta High Court cleared the decks for West Bengal College Service Commission (WBCSC) to continue with its process of recruitment of assistant professors in connection with its employment notification published on December 24, 2020.

About 33000 candidates have already applied in 45 subjects. A section of candidates, who were not appointed during the life of the previous panel, had moved the High Court, pleading for stalling the recruitment process in connection with the new advertisement for December 24, 2020, and can do so only after they are provided a job, as they were empanelled in connection with the previous advertisement published in 2018 for assistant professor's recruitment.

Their prayer has been dismissed by the High Court. "Cancelling the panel almost after one year from the date of notification would prejudice a large number of candidates who have applied for the posts pursuant to the notification of December 2020. ….The High Court finds no merit either in law or in the facts as urged on behalf of the petitioners for granting the prayer of cancellation of the new advertisement/ notification,"Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya stated in her order.

The WBCSC had clearly indicated in its December 2020 notification that the life of the previous panel would continue for a year and in this case till March 5, 2021.

The aggrieved empanelled candidates in the previous panel could not be appointed as vacancies were not available under particular category of the subject during the panel's validity.

"The aim of the WBCSC is to ensure filling up of the existing vacancies in quick time. We welcome the verdict as we hope that the recruitment process will be fast tracked," Dipak Kar, chairman of WBCSC said.

Meanwhile, a record 83000 candidates have applied for State Eligibility Test (SET), which is scheduled to take place on January 9, 2021.