2016 ‘untainted’ teachers prepare to rejoin old jobs

Kolkata: A section of untainted teachers appointed through the 2016 recruitment process has begun preparing to rejoin their previous government jobs amid uncertainty over whether the joining deadline will be extended, despite a Supreme Court order allowing untainted teachers to continue in their current posts till August 31, 2026.

In April, the apex court scrapped the panel of around 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff recruited through the 2016 selection process but permitted untainted candidates to remain in service till December 31, 2025. The judgment also allowed those who had earlier served in government departments or autonomous bodies to apply for rejoining their former posts, following which several teachers sought reinstatement.

On December 18, the court extended the continuation period for untainted teachers till August 31, 2026. Teachers who had already applied to return to their earlier services subsequently sought an extension of the joining deadline mentioned in their appointment letters.

However, the lack of clear administrative instructions on the issue has left many uncertain, forcing them to weigh compliance against the risk of losing their appointments. Officials in the School Education Department said the matter was under consideration and that a file had been sent to the law cell for legal opinion. Any decision on extending the joining deadline, they said, would be taken by the appointing authorities on a case-by-case basis. “The reasons for seeking extension appear genuine. Legal consultation is being taken. It may take time, but work is going on,” an official said. Pintu Bera, a IX-X assistant teacher at Khalseuli High School in Jhargram, said he had again applied for an extension beyond December 31 to rejoin as a primary teacher in Purulia. He said repeated visits to District Primary Education Council offices and Education Department yielded only verbal assurances.

With courts closed for the winter vacation, he said teachers were being forced to take decisions to safeguard their service positions.

Officials, however, indicated that the December 31 deadline may not ultimately harm those who do not immediately join if a favourable decision is taken later. They said the department had not taken a decision to close or divert vacancies recommended for 2016 teachers. The final position, they added, would depend on the legal opinion.