KOLKATA: Supreme Court on Thursday extended the deadline for completion of teachers’ recruitment process by state School Service Commission till Aug 31, 2026.The apex court had earlier directed SSC to complete the recruitment for the posts of assistant teachers for classes 9 to 12 by Dec 31. Appearing for SSC, Kalyan Banerjee argued that multiple litigations had slowed down the interview and document verification process, particularly for higher secondary posts, and interviews for secondary-level teachers are yet to begin.Pleading for a deadline extension, Bengal education department also informed the SC that the new academic year in state’s schools will begin on Jan 1 while the secondary examinations start Feb 2. The fourth semester of higher secondary exam is also scheduled from Feb 12. If 13,000 teachers stop attending schools during this crucial period, it will significantly impact the education system. Besides, school exams and evaluation of secondary and HS exam papers will also be hampered. tnnSSC sources said they would be in a position to start sending out recommendation letters for recruitment is classes 11-12 from Jan 16 at the earliest. For classes 9-10, it could be end-March. Considering these aspects, it moved the apex court for an additional eight months, which was granted.Following the order, education minister Bratya Basu said, “During this time-frame, previous teachers will be able to continue working as before. The directive makes it clear that SSC is moving in the right direction of transparency and accountability.”The secondary education board said in a statement, “It is a forward-looking decision taken in the interest of students and the school system of Bengal that we welcome.”Chinmoy Mandal, one of the teachers who had lost his job, said, “Eligible teachers should not be deprived or punished for someone else’s fault. The SC order gives us temporary relief. We want permanent jobs and it must be ensured that we can do our job with respect.” Another teacher, Rakesh Alam, said, “The order definitely brings some temporary relief, but it is not a permanent solution. State govt must ensure fast recruitment and provide us with a permanent solution.”Senior lawyer Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, who opposed the deadline extension said, “It was conveyed to the court that if this deadline is extended, the recruitment process will slow down. The court has given this verdict. Let’s see what happens.”
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