Agencies, Kolkata, 7 April 2025: The state government is facing increased legal pressure as the Calcutta High Court has ordered it to make a decision on whether to suspend the salaries of 313 teachers appointed under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), following allegations of illegal recruitment. The court gave the state 72 hours to take action, warning that failure to do so would result in the court issuing the salary suspension order directly.
The controversy erupted after the GTA disclosed details of these appointments in a report from April 2024, revealing significant irregularities, including the absence of essential qualifications such as a B.Ed degree, which is a requirement for teaching in secondary and higher secondary schools.
Additionally, a 2019 directive from the Darjeeling Hill Council’s Department of Education prohibited school management committees from appointing teachers without written approval from the School Education Department. The court has raised questions about the legality of these appointments and asked why the state should bear the financial burden of salaries for teachers appointed in violation of these norms.
During the hearing, Justice Biswajit Basu questioned the state’s Advocate General, Kishore Dutta, asking if the government would take action to suspend the salaries or if the court should intervene directly. Dutta requested more time to address the matter, and the court scheduled a follow-up hearing for Thursday. The case has further escalated following the earlier cancellation of 26,000 teaching and non-teaching jobs in the state due to similar allegations of corruption in recruitment.
The ongoing controversy centers around the recruitment of over 700 teachers in the GTA region without any formal examinations. While the state has defended the appointments of some teachers, claiming long-term service as the basis for their permanent status, it acknowledged that procedural flaws may have occurred but denied allegations of corruption. However, a report by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has implicated 313 of these teachers in irregular appointments, with strong allegations of bribery involving prominent political figures.
The CID’s investigation has pointed to several individuals allegedly involved in securing teaching positions through illicit means. Notable figures mentioned in the CID’s report include former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, Trinamool Congress youth leader Trinankur Bhattacharya, and GTA leader Binay Tamang. The accused are said to have facilitated the appointments in exchange for monetary compensation.
In light of the CID’s findings, Justice Basu ordered that the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of CID be questioned to explain why formal notices have not been issued to the accused individuals, including Binoy Tamang and others named in the investigation. The judge expressed concern over the lack of action taken against the accused despite their names being known to the authorities.
State counsel Rudra Nandy defended the CID’s progress, stating that the investigation was still ongoing and had not yet reached a stage where formal notices were warranted. He explained that the investigation was initiated based on an anonymous letter and that the process was still in its early stages.
An anonymous government official had previously claimed that corruption was rampant in the recruitment process within the GTA region, prompting the CID’s investigation. The court has now directed the state to take action within the next 72 hours, and if no resolution is reached, the High Court will step in and take decisive measures, including suspending the teachers’ salaries.
The case is part of an ongoing corruption scandal involving recruitment practices in West Bengal’s education sector, with multiple allegations of illegal appointments and bribery. The outcome of this case, and the decision to be made at the next hearing on Thursday, will have significant implications for the state’s handling of corruption and its recruitment processes in public services.
This latest development is another blow to the state government, already facing significant challenges in addressing widespread corruption within the education system. With the CID investigation continuing, more details are expected to emerge, and Thursday’s hearing will be pivotal in determining the next steps in addressing these serious allegations.
