Calcutta high court Wednesday decided against rejecting the recruitment of 32,000 teachers for state-run elementary schools, setting aside the ruling of Justice Abhijit Ganguly, who has since become a BJP MP, report Subrata Chattoraj & Poulami Roy.
In 2023, Justice Ganguly declared that the positions were "actually sold" while revoking the appointments based on the 2014 Teacher Eligibility Test. The order had been maintained by a larger bench.
Because the "conclusion by the investigating authority (CBI) would not reveal that the appointed candidates were involved in any corrupt practices," HC declared that it was overturning the ruling. Allegation of fraud in entire selection process not sustainable: The HC
The allegation of fraud and corruption pertaining to the entire recruitment process is not sustainable and the appointment of the 32,000 teachers cannot be interfered with,” a bench of Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Reetobroto Mitra, hearing an appeal by the state govt against Justice Ganguly’s order, ruled.
Cautioning judges against “innovating at pleasure”, the bench added, “There must have been a possibility of systemic malice, assessment of data doesn’t point to the same.”
The division bench pointed out that the CBI only discovered irregularities in 360 candidates' hiring. Of them, 264 candidates were given grace marks and identified. Furthermore, 96 applicants were appointed despite not receiving qualifying scores.
Their services were terminated yet they are still teaching following a Supreme Court order. After the ruling, Ganguly stated, “They (the HC bench) did what they thought was right. What am I able to say? Unless I read the ruling and its rationale, I cannot speak.”
Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister, responded cautiously. "We honor the legal system. I’m delighted our brothers and sisters have received their jobs back,” she said. Bratya Basu, her minister of education, was less circumspect. “They (teachers) thought him to be their God, but he turned out to be Satan,” he claimed.
Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP spoke up for Ganguly. “I can’t comment on the judiciary’s order but apparently, there were irregularities in the recruitment process in both TET & SLST. It is also true that the inclusion of contaminated candidates on the panel hurt thousands of worthy candidates in both situations. TMC is to blame for forcing them into this predicament.
