WBSSC releases names of over 1,800 candidates linked to 2016 teacher recruitment irregularities

West Bengal has taken a decisive step toward restoring transparency in its teacher recruitment process by publicly naming 1,804 candidates linked to the 2016 recruitment irregularities.

The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) released the list following a Supreme Court directive on Aug 28, which required the names to be made public within seven days.

The court has said it will continue to closely monitor the ongoing recruitment process.

The disclosure comes amid one of the state’s most high-profile recruitment controversies. In April, the Supreme Court invalidated 25,753 appointments made through WBSSC, citing that the entire hiring process had been “vitiated and tainted.”

Among those, 5,303 individuals were found to be involved, including the 1,804 teachers whose names have now been disclosed.

The list, uploaded to the WBSSC website at around 8 pm on Aug 30, contains only the names and roll numbers of the tainted candidates, without mentioning their assigned schools or subjects.

Officials explained that the limited details are intended to make the candidates’ identities public while keeping the notice concise.

A SC bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma had directed WBSSC to publish the list within a week, emphasizing that the fresh recruitment process must proceed under strict judicial oversight.

This order followed legal proceedings that began with the Calcutta High Court setting aside the 2016 selections and culminated in the Supreme Court’s April verdict.

Officials confirmed that the candidates named on the tainted list will not be allowed to take part in the newly scheduled recruitment tests on Sept 7 and 14.

The WBSSC had previously assured the SC that “not a single tainted candidate will be allowed to participate in the fresh recruitment process.”

The publication of the list fulfills that commitment.

Authorities say this move is a critical step in rebuilding credibility in West Bengal’s teacher recruitment system and provides a foundation for conducting a fresh and fair selection process, long overdue since the scandal first emerged.