Fri Jul 18 02:32:06 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text, followed by a news article based on that summary.
**Summary:**
The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) is currently accepting applications for 35,726 assistant teacher positions in state-aided schools (Grades 9-12) following a Supreme Court directive. Over 5 lakh candidates have applied since the portal opened on June 16th, with the deadline extended to July 21st. This recruitment drive comes after the Supreme Court nullified the 2016 State Level Selection Test (SLST) and the appointments of over 25,000 teachers and staff due to irregularities. While the WBSSC is proceeding with the recruitment, it has also filed a review petition regarding the SC’s decision. The process is controversial, with some arguing that the government should have focused on presenting a stronger case for “untainted teachers” from the previous recruitment before starting anew.
**News Article:**
**Over 5 Lakh Apply for West Bengal Teacher Positions After Court Ruling**
**Kolkata, July 18, 2025** – The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) has received applications from over 5 lakh candidates vying for 35,726 assistant teacher positions (Grades 9-12) in state-aided and -run schools. The surge in applications follows a Supreme Court directive mandating the recruitment process.
The online application portal, launched on June 16th, originally had a deadline of July 14th, but it has been extended to July 21st due to high demand. “We are expecting the figure to go up,” said WBSSC Chairman Siddhartha Majumdar.
This recruitment drive is a direct consequence of the Supreme Court’s decision in April to scrap the entire 2016 State Level Selection Test (SLST) recruitment panel. The court also annulled the appointments of 25,753 teachers and Group C and D staff due to widespread irregularities identified in the 2016 recruitment process.
While the WBSSC is moving forward with the new recruitment, they have also filed a review petition regarding the Supreme Court’s decision. The commission has identified 15,403 teachers from the previous recruitment as “not found to be specifically tainted.”
The new process has drawn criticism. The Deserving Teachers’ Rights Forum expressed concerns about the impact of the court order. They suggested that the WBSSC and Education Department should have focused on advocating for “untainted teachers” before initiating a new application process.
The situation remains complex, with the future of teachers and the recruitment process hanging in the balance as the review petition is considered.
First Piper 