Supreme Court Greenlights West Bengal Teacher Recruitment Exams, Bars Tainted Candidates While Protecting Eligible Teacher's Rights.


29-August-2025 Special Leave Petition >> Civil & Consumer Law  

The Supreme Court has permitted the resumption of new teacher recruitment exams in West Bengal while guaranteeing that the eligible and clean candidates can take part. The case is attached to various cases, such as Bibek Paria & Ors. vs. The State of West Bengal & Ors., relating to irregularities in previous appointments done by the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (SSC).

Background:

The Court, on 21 August 2025, directed that the entire "untainted" teachers who had already been appointed and permitted to stay on service up to 31 December 2025 should be provided an opportunity to participate in the new selection process. Significantly, they were exempted from the newly imposed condition of achieving a minimum 50% marks in graduation or post-graduation for eligibility. For this purpose, the application period for such candidates was extended by ten days.
 
 

In this sequence, the Commission published a public notice on 22 August 2025, requesting applications from the eligible candidates within the extended schedule. Although the majority of the candidates had presented their applications online, the Court granted a final chance to the rest to submit physical applications up to 2 September 2025.

Selection Schedule:

The Commission has already scheduled the dates for the recruitment exams on 7 September 2025 (for classes IX and X) and 14 September 2025 (for classes XI and XII). The Supreme Court observed these arrangements and concluded that no deferment was required, even as it had mentioned before that the procedure could be postponed.

It was also made clear that all the eligible teachers under the Court's previous orders would be allowed to take both examinations.

Exclusion of Tainted Candidates:

The Court reaffirmed that tainted candidates will not be allowed to take the tests. In its previous order dated 28 August 2025, the Court had ordered publication of the list of tainted candidates. The Commission ensured the Court that:
  • None of the kursi-holders who have been so tainted would be permitted to appear.
  • Should any such candidate inadvertently obtain an admit card and turn up, their eligibility would be examined and revoked during the post-examination phase.
  • This measure is in line with the Commission's public notice of 25 August 2025 on post-exam scrutiny.
  • The Commission's undertakings were solemnly noted down by the Court and made binding upon it.

Role of Petitioners:

To additionally secure compliance, the Court also allowed petitioners' attorneys to inform the Commission's Advocate-on-Record in case they find a discredited candidate who gets an admit card. In this situation, prompt action is to be taken in order to avoid participation.

Conclusion:

With this order, the Supreme Court has balanced shielding clean teachers' rights and preventing corrupt or unsuitable candidates of previous recruitment rackets from entering the system again. The process of recruitment, an important step in restoring transparency and credibility in West Bengal's school appointments, will now go on as per schedule.