Supreme Court dismisses pleas seeking to save untainted teachers, affirms cancellation of 25,000 Bengal school jobs over deeply flawed recruitment.

Supreme Court: faulty recruits may go; verdict on Feb 10.

The Supreme Court turned down a review plea filed by the West Bengal government against its April judgment that supported the Calcutta High Court’s move to scrap the appointments of 25,753 teachers and staff members in state and state-aided schools.

According to Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma, the verdict dated April 3, 2025, in the civil appeal and connected matters came only after comprehensive arguments and a thorough review of both facts and law.

In its order dated August 5, published today, the bench said it reviewed settled law alongside findings from the Bag Committee, CBI, and admissions by West Bengal education authorities on recruitment illegalities.

The judges pointed out that the Commission’s inability to maintain the OMR sheets, whether original or copies, played a key role in shaping the courts’ decisions.

The judges observed that when the authorities covered up irregularities, they blocked proper scrutiny and showed the recruitment was corrupt, so the court had to strike it down completely.

The bench noted that the court made every possible effort to safeguard honest appointees, and the verdict’s final paragraphs highlight this.

According to the bench, the court knew its decision would hurt even those with clean records, but protecting the sanctity of the process had to come first. It further stated that holding the authorities accountable through adverse comments was entirely justified, as their actions disrupted the lives of many.

On April 3, the bench of then CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar declared the recruitment process irretrievably tainted by manipulation and large-scale fraud. Delivering the bench’s judgment, the CJI said, “The selection has been stripped of credibility and legitimacy, so we have adjusted some of the high court’s directions.”

Beginning December 19, the top court held final hearings on January 15, 27, and February 10 before reserving judgment in the politically sensitive matter.

Last May, the Supreme Court suspended the high court’s ruling regarding SSC appointments, yet it gave the CBI clearance to continue investigating the case.

The case arose after allegations that the West Bengal SSC’s 2016 recruitment was irregular, with 23 lakh aspirants competing for 24,640 posts but officials issuing 25,753 appointments.