In adherence to a directive issued by the Calcutta High Court, the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) on Thursday published the fresh ‘comprehensive’ list of “tainted” candidates linked to the disputed 2016 State Level Selection Test (SLST). The release marks a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny of the state’s school recruitment irregularities.
As stated in the official notification, the list contains the names of 1,804 individuals — predominantly teachers — whose appointments through the 2016 SLST have been invalidated following the Supreme Court’s determination that the recruitment process was “vitiated and tainted.” The published document includes names, roll numbers, their parents , date of births alongside serial numbers of those rendered ineligible. Notably, it does not mention the respective schools the ‘tainted’ teachers were employed for nearly a decade.
Earlier today, Bengal Education Minister Basu held a press conference where he praised WBSSC’s quick response in adherence to the apex court’s order. “All work is being done transparently in accordance with the court's orders. The entire recruitment process will be completed by the end of this month in accordance with the court's orders. If additional time is needed, the School Service Commission will consider whether to approach the court for it,” Basu said adding that the Supreme Court had directed the SSC that no candidate with a tainted name cannot be retained. “The SC has also asked it to publish a complete list of candidates. Today, the SSC will publish a complete list of candidates. The SSC is following the court's orders to the letter to ensure full transparency," he had said.
This action follows the Supreme Court’s order dated 28 August 2025, which required the WBSSC to make the list publicly accessible within seven days. The publication forms part of a larger compliance effort after the Court annulled the appointments of nearly 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff selected through the same examination cycle.
Calcutta High Court Directs WBSSC to Publish List of Candidates Appointed After Expiry of 2016 Panel
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday has taken a firm position regarding the ongoing recruitment process of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). To ensure strict compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive that no “tainted” candidate is permitted to appear in the 2025 recruitment examinations, Justice Amrita Sinha has ordered the immediate publication of a detailed list of candidates who were appointed after the expiry of the 2016 SLST panel, as well as those whose OMR sheets were allegedly tampered with.
Petitioners who sat for the 2025 Class XI–XII examinations claimed that several candidates appointed after the panel’s expiry had been allowed to participate in the new recruitment cycle. In response, Justice Sinha directed the WBSSC to publish the full list without delay so that such candidates can be identified and excluded from the ongoing selection process.
The Court noted that the validity of the 2016 Class XI–XII panel expired on 27 November 2018, while the Class IX–X panel expired on 12 March 2019. The WBSSC must now disclose the names of all individuals appointed after these deadlines.
During the hearing, WBSSC’s counsel, Kalyan Banerjee, expressed concern over the feasibility of completing the revised recruitment steps within the stipulated timeframe, which extends until 31 December. Justice Sinha, however, dismissed the objections, stating that compliance cannot be delayed, reiterating the Supreme Court’s instruction that “not a single tainted candidate should get a chance.
