HC junks plea seeking extension of panel for hiring staff in colleges

KOLKATA: The Division Bench of Calcutta High Court has dismissed the prayer from a section of empanelled candidates to extend the validity of the panel constituted by state College Service Commission for appointment in the posts of Assistant Professor/ Librarian in various government-aided colleges.

The West Bengal College Service Commission (WBCSC) had received over 28,000 applications against its advertisement in 2018 . CSC empanelled 3,300 candidates to fill up 2,200 vacancies.

After counseling, the recommendation was made for 2,400 candidates. As per rules of CSC, the validity of such panel was for a period of one year. The remaining 900 odd candidates whose names were empanelled but not recommended submitted deputation to all concerned officials in the state administration appealing for extending the validity of the panel beyond a period of one year.

Receiving no response a section of these candidates moved the High Court. In February, Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj dismissed the matter after finding no merit in the case.

Challenging the Single Bench's order, the candidates moved the Division Bench with the prayer for extension of life of the panel prepared in respect of Sanskrit , Bengali, Chemistry and Geography beyond the statutory period of one year.

They argued that the state Higher Education Department had extended the panel for a handful of subjects and should do the same for these subjects too.

Counsel appearing on behalf of CSC pointed out that the panel for a few subjects was extended as it was scheduled to expire during the period of May-August 2020 which was during COVID -19 pandemic period.

However, the panel for the four subjects as demanded by the petitioners were not to expire during May-August 2020 period and hence its validity cannot be extended.

The Division Bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya and Justice Soumen Sen upheld the order of the Single Bench and dismissed the petition.