Legal fight will continue, but fresh recruitment will start as per SC order: Mamata on teaching jobs

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said her government will start the fresh recruitment process of teachers as per the Supreme Court directive, while simultaneously pursuing a review petition seeking reinstatement of those who lost their jobs.

Addressing a press conference, Banerjee said the teachers who lost their jobs will be given the benefit of their experience and age relaxation in the fresh recruitment process, the notification for which will be issued by May 31.

"We want all those teachers who lost their jobs to get their jobs back. But we also have to follow the Supreme Court directive on issuing the notification by May 31," she said.

"Both the review petition and the process of issuing the notification will go on simultaneously," she said.

Banerjee's statement came amid massive protests by the teaching and non-teaching staff of state-backed schools, who lost their jobs because of an SC order in the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam.

Announcing relief for the teachers who lost their jobs, Banerjee said, "Age will not be a barrier. Those who lost their jobs will be allowed to sit for the exam even if they have crossed the usual age limit. They will also receive the benefit of their experience."