Delegation of sacked teachers heads to Delhi, plans to meet Prez, PM

Kolkata: A delegation of sacked teachers and non-teaching staff from West Bengal departed for New Delhi on Monday to attend a Supreme Court hearing and seek nationwide political support, including meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu, to address their demand for reinstatement.

The group also announced a ‘Bidhan Sabha Aviyan’ campaign on June 16, threatening protests if their grievances remain unresolved.

The delegation’s move follows the Supreme Court’s April 3, 2025, verdict upholding a Calcutta High Court decision to annul the 2016 recruitment process conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). The ruling led to the termination of approximately 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff in state-run and aided schools due to widespread manipulations and fraud in the selection process. The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, ordered the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led West Bengal government to initiate a fresh recruitment process.

Speaking at Kolkata airport, one of the delegation members told the media: “By going to Delhi, we will try to draw the attention of the Prime Minister, President, and leaders of various national parties towards our problems.”

The group plans to file a review petition in the Supreme Court and appeal to MPs and leading politicians for support in reinstating the affected staff. The teachers are also demanding the release of mirror images of their Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets to identify genuine candidates and address discrepancies in the recruitment process. The ‘Bidhan Sabha Aviyan’ planned on June 16 aims to amplify these demands, with the group warning of escalated protests if their issues remain unresolved.

A section of protesting teachers has also planned to collectively send registered letters to the President on Tuesday from all district post offices in Bengal. The letters will appeal for justice.