Priyanka Tiwari
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Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has written to President Droupadi Murmu, requesting her intervention in the ongoing controversy surrounding the cancellation of teacher appointments in West Bengal. In his letter, Gandhi urged the President to ensure that candidates selected through legitimate means are allowed to retain their jobs.
Background of the Controversy
On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s order to annul the 2016 recruitment of over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff in state-funded schools. The recruitment was conducted by the School Service Commission (SSC). The apex court noted that the selection process was tainted and ruled that the services of ineligible candidates must be terminated.
“We find no valid ground or reason to interfere with the decision of the High Court,” said a bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
Rahul Gandhi's Statement and Concerns
Rahul Gandhi took to X (formerly Twitter) to share that he had contacted the President regarding the fate of thousands of qualified candidates. He emphasized that while wrongdoing in recruitment must be punished, equating all candidates—regardless of whether their selection was fair—is unjust.
I have written to the Honourable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu ji, seeking her kind intervention in the matter of thousands of qualified school teachers in West Bengal who have lost their jobs following the judiciary's cancellation of the teacher recruitment process.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 8, 2025
I… pic.twitter.com/VEbf6jbY2F
“Any crime committed during recruitment should be condemned, and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. However, treating teachers selected through fair means on par with tainted teachers is a serious injustice,” Gandhi wrote in his letter.
Appealing to the President’s own background as a teacher, he added, “I am sure you understand the enormous human cost of this injustice. I request you to urge the government to ensure that candidates selected through fair means are allowed to continue.”
Mamata Banerjee's Assurances
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also addressed the issue earlier this week. She met with affected teachers and staff and encouraged them to return to their schools while her government seeks legal remedies. Banerjee assured them that the state would take steps to safeguard their employment.
