“Will restore their dignity…”: Mamata Banerjee Vows to Stand by Teachers Affected by SC Ruling on WBSSC Appointments

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday vowed to support the teachers who lost their jobs following a Supreme Court ruling on WBSSC. The apex court recently upheld a Calcutta High Court order that cancelled the appointments of over 25,000 school staff, which had been made by the School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016.

“I stand by those who lost their jobs in schools in Bengal. I will do everything to restore their dignity,” asserted Banerjee.

During a meeting with those affected by the apex court’s ruling at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Satdium, Banerjee assured them that she would not let eligible candidates suffer. She emphasised that deserving individuals would not lose their positions or face a disruption in their careers. "Please don't think we've accepted the verdict," said Mamata Bnerjee adding that the state government was determined to take action to support those affected.

"We are not stone-hearted... I can even be jailed for saying this, but I don’t care," she added, addressing the terminated staff at Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium. Banerjee made it clear that she was prepared to face any legal consequences in her efforts to stand by the victims of the Supreme Court’s decision.

Earlier, Banerjee had stated that she respects the judiciary but finds it difficult to accept the judgment. "I respect the judiciary but can't accept the judgment," she said, underscoring her dedication to fight for the impacted teachers. She also drew a comparison to the Vyapam scam in BJP-governed Madhya Pradesh, questioning why the state was being singled out. "How many BJP leaders were arrested in MP? Why target Bengal?" she asked.

Banerjee accused the BJP and CPIM of deliberately trying to destabilise Bengal's education system. She reiterated that her support for the affected teachers would continue on humanitarian grounds, further criticising the central government's role in the situation.

The Supreme Court’s ruling on April 3 upheld the Calcutta High Court's decision, citing widespread fraud and manipulation in the recruitment process. The Apex 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.”​