Bengal School Edu dept starts process to verify applications from 'untainted' jobless teachers

Kolkata: The School Education department has begun the process to verify applications from 'non-tainted' teaching staff who were in state government jobs before clearing the 2016 SSC test and rendered jobless, following a recent Supreme Court order, an official said.

The apex court in an order on April 3 invalidated the appointments of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff but observed those who had served in state government departments in earlier jobs before opting for the 2016 recruitment test and not classified as "tainted", can make fresh applications for being re-appointed in their earlier workplace and in same earlier position.

A senior SSC official told PTI on Sunday that the School Education department on June 20 issued a communique to all district inspectors of schools "for verification and authentication" of applications by those candidates.

The School Education department has thousands of such applications and prepared database of every zone.

"Now the database of every respective zone has been forwarded to the DI office concerned and we have asked for verifying each and every name, whether he/she cleared the 2016 test, whether he/she figured in the untainted list and were on service till April 2," the official elaborated.

The DIs have to give their feedback by early next week, he added.

The untainted teachers started sending applications from April 14-15.

The notice said, "The candidates who do not fall in the category of tainted have been given the opportunity to apply to their previous departments.

The official said as the candidates had made applications to various state government agencies from DI to WBSSC, directly to school education department and the two boards entrusted with running the secondary and higher secondary education, the department is streamlining the process through one nodal authority DI offices in different zones.

Earlier the SSC had sent lists of over 13,000 "not specifically tainted" (untainted) teachers who can teach at their own present workplaces and draw remuneration till December 31. The same teachers are currently at their work places while several of them are continuing their agitation for permanently being re-instated and refused to sit for any fresh recruitment exams.