Mon Apr 07 15:20:31 UTC 2025: ## 25,000 West Bengal Teachers Lose Jobs After Supreme Court Ruling, Sparking Political Firestorm

**Kolkata, India** – A Supreme Court decision to cancel the appointments of over 25,000 teachers and school staff in West Bengal has ignited a fierce political battle and left thousands facing financial ruin. The court found widespread irregularities and fraud in the 2016 recruitment process, deeming the entire selection process irreparably tainted.

While the court stated that those teachers whose names were not implicated in the investigation do not have to return their salaries, their employment has been terminated. This has left 25,753 individuals without jobs and struggling to meet financial obligations.

Two affected teachers, Pratap Roychowdhury and Amit Ranjan Bhuyan, shared their harrowing experiences with NDTV. Both described the immense stress of facing mortgage payments, supporting families, and the uncertainty of finding new employment at their age. Roychowdhury directly blamed the state government for the crisis, stating, “This government engineered this scam. What can we expect from them?” Bhuyan, a 39-year-old father, echoed these sentiments, questioning why those not involved in corruption were punished. He expressed concern about his ability to compete in future examinations given his age.

The ruling has sparked a political showdown between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress party and the opposition BJP and CPM. Banerjee accused the opposition of conspiring to damage the state’s education system, while BJP MP Sambit Patra countered, blaming the ruling party’s corruption.

The human cost of this legal battle is starkly evident in the testimonies of the affected teachers, highlighting the urgent need for solutions to address their immediate financial needs and future employment prospects. The Supreme Court has suggested that the affected teachers can re-take the competitive examination, but many doubt their ability to do so after a decade. The situation leaves thousands in limbo, grappling with joblessness and uncertain futures amid a heated political debate.

Read More