"They want to collapse Bengal's Education System": Mamata Slams BJP and CPM over SC Verdict on WBSSC

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (CPM), accusing them of orchestrating a plot that would lead to the collapse of the state’s education system. The criticism came after the Supreme Court upheld a Calcutta High Court verdict that annulled the appointments of nearly 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016.

“We will, of course, comply with the Supreme Court’s decision and initiate a fresh selection process,” Banerjee said. “But I must ask, do the BJP and CPM want to see Bengal’s education system crumble? There is a clear conspiracy at play here," said Banerjee. She added that in adherence to the Supreme Court judgement, the vacancies will be filled within a span of three months.

The Chief Minister also expressed concern about the impact of the annulled appointments, particularly in senior classes. “Among those removed, 11,610 teachers were responsible for teaching classes 9 and 10, while 5,596 taught classes 11 and 12. These are critical years for students, serving as a gateway to higher education. With the removal of these 25,000 teachers, who will fill the void and continue to teach our students? Is this the goal of the BJP and CPM—to orchestrate the collapse of Bengal’s education system?”

Banerjee continued her attack, accusing the judiciary of political bias, specifically targeting the judge who passed the Calcutta High Court judgment. "The judge who delivered this verdict has now left the bench and become a BJP MP. Do they have any responsibility or accountability? The case itself was filed by Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, a CPM MP. I have every reason to believe that the BJP and CPM have orchestrated this entire affair, and I’m confident that they will be held accountable in due course,” she stated.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court echoed the High Court's findings that the selection process was “irrepairably tainted.” The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, deemed the process “marred by large-scale fraud and manipulation,” saying it had been “compromised at every stage.” The court highlighted irregularities including rank manipulation, out-of-panel appointments, and the falsification of OMR scores, while also pointing to the creation of supernumerary posts as a means of facilitating illegal appointments.

The ruling from the Supreme Court dealt a significant blow to Banerjee’s government. The High Court had previously ordered that this process should commence after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Additionally, those who had been appointed through fraudulent means are required to repay their salaries, with interest, within four weeks. The court has also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to continue its probe into the scandal.​