WBSSC scam: Countdown for illegally appointed non-teaching staff begins with new notification

A fresh notification from the state education department issued on Monday has made it clear that the clock has started ticking for the 1,698 non-teaching staff in different state-run schools, who were found to have illegally secured jobs by the CBI and the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC).

Through this fresh notification issued from the office of the state's commissioner of school education, the respective district inspectors of schools have been asked to intimate the non- teaching staffs concerned in their respective districts about the Calcutta High Court's deadline to present their points of arguments in proving their innocence.

On December 22, Calcutta High Court's single- judge bench of Justice Biswajit Basu while giving the last chance to these 1,698 non-teaching staff in different state-run schools to prove their innocence in the matter said that the matter will be heard again and finally on January 24 and by that time these non-teaching staff will have to present their respective points of arguments at the court.

In the notification issued on Monday, the district inspectors of schools have been asked to serve the copy of the order of Justice Basu to the respective non- teaching staff in the district within three working days from the date of receipt.

"Thereafter, a compliance report may please be submitted by next five working days," the notification read.

"This means that the clock has started ticking for these 1,698 non-teaching staff in different state-run schools, found to be illegally securing jobs by the CBI and WBSSC either to prove their innocence or be ready to face termination of services," explained an official of the state education department who refused to be named.

On December 22, despite giving the last chance to these 1,698 non- teaching staff, Justice Basu made strong observations regarding the huge number of illegal recruitments. "Already the students have suffered a lot because of such recruitment irregularities and corruption. This cannot be tolerated anymore. Those who have been recruited illegally should not be allowed to continue with their services anymore. They should not be allowed to enter the schools even for a day," Justice Basu observed on December 22.