kolkata

 IIE DIGITAL DESK : May 15, 2025, a significant protest erupted at Bikash Bhavan, the headquarters of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in Salt Lake, Kolkata. Hundreds of teachers, who lost their jobs following a Supreme Court verdict, forcefully entered the premises by breaking the main gate, expressing their refusal to retake the recruitment examination and demanding immediate reinstatement. 

The protest was organized by the 'Genuine Teachers’ Rights Forum,' comprising educators whose appointments were annulled due to alleged irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process. The Supreme Court had previously canceled 25,753 teaching and non-teaching positions, citing the WBSSC's failure to distinguish between candidates who secured jobs through legitimate means and those who did not . 

Protesters criticized the WBSSC and the state education department for filing review petitions without consulting the affected teachers. They argued that they should not be penalized for the commission's shortcomings and insisted on the publication of a segregated list identifying 'untainted' candidates. "We had not given bribes; then why should we suffer? Why should we give exams again?" questioned one of the demonstrators . 

The situation escalated when a faction of the protesters broke the lock of the main gate and entered the office premises, leading to a confrontation with the police. Despite a significant police presence, no force was used to disperse the demonstrators . 

The WBSSC has identified 15,304 teachers as "not specifically tainted," allowing them to continue teaching until December 31, 2025. However, approximately 1,804 teachers remain excluded from this list, fueling further discontent among the protestors  ,

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee previously urged the protesting teachers to return to work, assuring them that the state government would pay their salaries and that the matter would be resolved in court. She emphasized that provocateurs were misleading the teachers and that the government was committed to addressing their concerns 

Despite these assurances, the teachers remain steadfast in their demands, vowing to continue their protest until they are officially reinstated. They argue that retaking the examination is unjust, especially when their initial appointments were based on merit. The ongoing demonstrations highlight the deepening crisis in West Bengal's education sector, with thousands of educators caught in a protracted legal and administrative battle.