SSC Teachers Continue Protest in Kolkata After SC Verdict Cancels 26,000 Jobs
Thousands of teachers in West Bengal continued protests outside Bikash Bhawan after losing their jobs due to the Supreme Court’s order on the tainted SSC recruitment process.
The agitation entered its second day on Friday, as affected teachers staged sit-ins and chanted slogans against the Mamata Banerjee-led state government and the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC).
Visuals from the protest site in Kolkata showed scuffles with police and emotional appeals from teachers who now face unemployment. “We were protesting peacefully, but the police used lathi charge. Many have been seriously injured,” said one protester.
The situation escalated late Wednesday night when police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the demonstrators, leading to several injuries. Teachers have vowed to continue protesting until the government offers a clear resolution.
“This is unjust. We are being punished for the government’s mistake,” said another aggrieved teacher.
The protests stem from a Supreme Court ruling that cancelled over 26,000 teaching jobs, citing widespread irregularities in the 2016 SSC recruitment. While the court allowed untainted teachers to serve till December 2025, it refused relief for tainted Group C and D staff.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responded on April 17, saying, “The Supreme Court has given us time till December. The issue will be resolved within this year. No teacher will suffer.”
The Supreme Court directed the West Bengal government and WBSSC to issue advertisements for new teacher recruitment by May 31 and complete the process by December 31, 2025.
The court stated that the relief period is to ensure students’ education isn’t disrupted during the transition to a fresh, transparent hiring process.
As the December deadline approaches, the West Bengal government faces growing pressure to conduct a fair recruitment process while addressing the concerns of thousands now jobless.
