Kolkata High Court extends stay on appointment of primary teachers in West Bengal

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court today extended the stay on appointment of primary teachers in West Bengal on an allegation of irregularities by a section of the applicants.

Justice Debasish Kargupta extended the stay on the appointment of around 27,000 primary teachers till February 14 in connection with a petition challenging the process by around 1,000 of the over 17 lakh applicants.

The petitioners claimed that the School Service Commission had not followed the guidelines set by the high court in April last, wherein it was directed that applicants who are trained in teaching would be recruited first and then untrained applicants would be considered.

Justice Kargupta questioned why its directive of appointing trained teachers first and then untrained candidates was not followed. Fixing the date for the next hearing on February six, the court asked the SSC authorities to explain as to whether irregularities have been committed and if so, why it was done.