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2025 West Bengal teachers' protests

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West Bengal jobless teachers' protests 2025
DateApril 2025 – ongoing
Location
West Bengal, India (mainly Kolkata, Howrah, and state government offices)[1]
Caused by
  • Annulment of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching posts
  • Alleged corruption
Goals
  • Reinstatement of untainted teachers
  • Fair recruitment review
  • Punishment of those responsible for illegal appointments
  • Job and financial security
  • Increase in dearness allowance (DA)[1]
MethodsSit-ins, rallies, hunger strikes, protest marches, road blockades, picketing of government buildings
StatusOngoing (as of 28 July 2025)
Parties
Dismissed school teachers, government employees, support organizations (Sangrami Joutho Manch, others)
Lead figures
Casualties
ArrestedSeveral teachers and protestors detained during demonstrations
DamageDisruption to public transport and administration; allegations of damage to government property during marches[2]
Marches and rallies continue as of late July 2025; review of candidates ongoing by state authorities and Supreme Court directives.[1]

The West Bengal jobless teachers' protests 2025 refers to a large-scale and ongoing series of demonstrations by thousands of school staff in West Bengal who lost their jobs following a Supreme Court verdict on the state's teacher recruitment scam. The protests, which have been centered in the state capital of Kolkata since early 2025, represent a major social and political crisis. The core of the issue is the conflict between a judicial order to cancel illegal appointments and the humanitarian situation of nearly 26,000 people being left unemployed, with the most recent major event being a 'Nabanna Chalo' rally on 28 July 2025.

Background

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The foundation of the 2025 protests was laid during the teacher recruitment process conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) between 2016 and 2018.[3] Following the recruitment, numerous candidates filed petitions in the Calcutta High Court. They alleged major corruption and irregularities in the process. They claimed that many candidates with high scores were deliberately failed, while jobs were sold to candidates with lower scores for large sums of money.

Investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) uncovered evidence of a widespread scam. The investigation reports suggested that the corruption was systematic. It involved tampering with OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) answer sheets,[4] manipulating marks on the SSC's main server,[5] and creating fake appointment letters.[6] The involvement of middlemen and influential political figures was also alleged, turning the issue into a major political scandal in the state.[7]

A major turning point in the investigation was the arrest of Partha Chatterjee, who was the state's Education Minister when the recruitment took place.[8] In July 2022, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Chatterjee, then a senior cabinet minister, in connection with the scam. The arrest came after the recovery of crores of rupees in cash from the residence of his close associate, which created a sensation across the country and gave significant weight to the allegations of high-level corruption.[9][10]

Timeline

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2016-18
The School Service Commission conducts recruitment for teaching and non-teaching staff in state-run schools.[11][12]
2021
A series of petitions are filed in the Calcutta High Court alleging corruption in the recruitment process.
July 2022
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrests Partha Chatterjee, the then-Education Minister and a senior cabinet minister, in connection with the scam. The arrest follows the recovery of large amounts of cash from the residence of his associate, making national headlines.[13]
April 2024
In a landmark judgment, the Calcutta High Court cancels all 25,753 appointments made through the 2016 selection process, calling the entire process null and void.[14][15]
May 2024
The West Bengal government and a section of the teachers challenge the High Court's order in the Supreme Court of India.[16][17]
December 2024
The Supreme Court upholds the Calcutta High Court's decision, confirming the cancellation of all jobs. It noted that the scale of the scam made it impossible to separate the valid appointments from the illegal ones.[17]
March 2025
Protesters organise a massive rally, in Kolkata, which brings the city to a standstill and draws national media attention.
May-June 2025
With no solution in sight, groups of protesters begin indefinite hunger strikes, leading to several hospitalisations.[18][19]
28 July 2025
Protesters organise a 'Nabanna Chalo' (March to the State Secretariat) rally. The march is stopped by a large police force, leading to a tense standoff for several hours.[20][21]

Protest

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The protests in 2025 have been marked by their persistence and emotional appeals. After losing their jobs, thousands of individuals, many with their families, established a continuous protest site, or 'dharna manch', in the heart of Kolkata.[22][23]

The movement saw a significant escalation on 28 July 2025,[24] when protesters organised a 'Nabanna Chalo' rally, a march towards the state secretariat. The stated objective was to directly submit a memorandum of their demands to the Chief Minister's office. However, the march, which saw the participation of thousands, was stopped by heavy police barricades and a large police deployment in the Santragachi area, several kilometres away from Nabanna.[25][26] This led to a tense standoff that lasted for several hours and caused major traffic disruptions in Kolkata and Howrah. The event highlighted the growing frustration among the protesters and the government's firm stance on preventing them from reaching the administrative headquarters.

Demands

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The primary and most urgent demand of the protesters is the immediate reinstatement of all 25,753 sacked employees. They argue that the government should find a legal or political way to give them their jobs back.[27][28] Flowing from this is the demand to separate the innocent from the guilty. Protesters insist that the government and the justice system must identify and punish the real culprits behind the scam, rather than punishing everyone with a blanket order.[29] They feel they are being made scapegoats. Furthermore, they have been appealing directly to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene and provide a political solution, believing that only she has the power to resolve this crisis and save their families from financial ruin.[30]

Response

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West Bengal Government

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The West Bengal government finds itself in a difficult position, caught between a court order and public pressure. Officially, the government has stated that it is bound by the Supreme Court's verdict and cannot legally reinstate the teachers on its own. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has publicly expressed her sympathy for the teachers and their families, while blaming the opposition parties for pursuing the court cases that led to the mass terminations.[31]

The state has explored options to resolve the issue. The most prominent proposal was to create supernumerary posts, which are temporary positions created to accommodate staff. However, this move has been criticised by legal experts and the opposition as an attempt to bypass the court's judgment. As of late July 2025, the government has held several rounds of talks with the protesters but has failed to offer a concrete solution that is both legally sound and acceptable to the teachers.

[edit]

The legal basis for the current situation is the firm stand taken by both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court. The judiciary concluded that the corruption in the 2016 recruitment was so deep and widespread that the entire process was 'vitiated' or contaminated.[32] The courts found it impossible to "separate the grain from the chaff" – meaning, to reliably identify the few genuine candidates from the many who were hired illegally.[33][34] Because the entire selection list was deemed fraudulent, the only legal remedy was to scrap it completely. This legal position prevents the government from simply re-hiring the teachers without conducting a fresh, transparent recruitment process.[35][36]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Jobless teachers, govt employees rally in Howrah demanding reinstatement, DA hike". Hindustan Times. 28 July 2025.
  2. ^ "West Bengal News: Jobless Teachers, Govt Employees March In Howrah Demanding Reinstatement & DA Hike". Free Press Journal. 28 July 2025.
  3. ^ Shwenk, Martin; Murthy, Narayana; Poonawalla, Adar; Jain, Manu; Kamath, Nitin (17 April 2025). "How India's massive school jobs scam left 25,000 in limbo". The Economic Times. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  4. ^ Chaudhuri, Monalisa; Chowdhury, Subhankar (13 April 2025). "A detailed lowdown on how OMR impacted government school jobs and the SSC scam". Telegraph India. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  5. ^ "পশ্চিমবঙ্গে ২৬ হাজার শিক্ষক-অশিক্ষকের নিয়োগ বাতিল করলেন সুপ্রিম কোর্ট". Prothomalo (in Bengali). 3 April 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  6. ^ বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়, রাজদীপ (28 July 2022). "Primary TET: অনেকেই 'ভুয়ো' নিয়োগপত্র নিয়ে আসতেন, দাবি". Anandabazar (in Bengali). Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  7. ^ "ED attaches properties worth Rs 27.19 cr linked to SSC scam". MillenniumPost. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  8. ^ "পার্থকে গ্রেফতার করল সিবিআই! আরও বিপাকে প্রাক্তন মন্ত্রী". TheWall (in Bengali). 1 October 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  9. ^ আনন্দ, ওয়েব ডেস্ক, এবিপি (24 July 2022). "Partha Chatterjee: স্কুলে শিক্ষক নিয়োগে দুর্নীতি মামলায় ইডি-র হাতে গ্রেফতার হয়েছেন রাজ্যের প্রাক্তন শিক্ষামন্ত্রী ও তৃণমূলের মহাসচিব পার্থ চট্টোপাধ্যায়। এই নিয়ে গান বাঁধলেন হরিণঘাটার বিজেপি বিধায়ক অসীম সরকার Bangla News". bengali.abplive.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 28 July 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee arrested in teachers recruitment scam case". The Times of India. 23 July 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  11. ^ সংবাদদাতা, আনন্দবাজার ডট কম (3 April 2025). "২৬ হাজার চাকরিই বাতিল! ২০১৬ সালের শিক্ষক নিয়োগের প্যানেল খারিজ সুপ্রিম কোর্টের, নির্দেশ নতুন নিয়োগের". Anandabazar (in Bengali). Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  12. ^ Mukhopadhyay, Sounak (22 April 2024). "West Bengal SSC scam: Calcutta HC cancels all 2016 appointments, asks illegal candidates to return salaries". mint. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Partha Chatterjee in 'cash-22' as more notes tumble out, loses all posts". India Today. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  14. ^ Mohanty, Suchitra Kalyan (3 April 2025). "SC upholds Calcutta HC order invalidating 25,000 appointments made by Bengal School Selection Commission". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Bengal school jobs row: Entire selection process vitiated due to malpractice, SC told". Deccan Herald. 27 January 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  16. ^ Som, Moyurie (3 June 2025). "Calcutta HC allows pleas challenging WBSSC teacher recruitment notification". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  17. ^ a b Chatterjee, Tanmay (8 July 2025). "Bengal govt, WBSSC challenge HC order barring tainted teachers from job test". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  18. ^ Som, Moyurie (15 June 2025). "Protesting teachers in Bengal go on hunger strike 'till government meets demands'". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Jobless teachers in West Bengal end hunger strike after four-day protest". News Arena India. 13 April 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Nabanna turned into virtual fortress over 'March to state secretariat' rally by job-losing teachers". The Hawk. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  21. ^ "Bengal secretariat turns into fortress for protest rally by Sangami Joitha Mancha". Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  22. ^ "তালিকা প্রকাশ নয়, এবার নতুন দাবি শিক্ষকদের! চাপে SSC". India hood. 22 April 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  23. ^ সামন্ত, পায়েল (15 July 2025). "শিক্ষক নিয়োগে খুলছে না জট – DW – 15.07.2025". dw.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  24. ^ "হকের দাবিতে নবান্ন চলো, দু-মানুষ সমান উঁচু ব্যারিকেড, রাস্তাতেই বসে পড়লেন আন্দোলনকারীরা". ABP Ananda (in Bengali). 28 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  25. ^ The Hindu Bureau (27 August 2024). "Kolkata 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally highlights: Police use water cannons, tear gas at Howrah Bridge; BJP calls for 12-hour general strike in Bengal on Wednesday". The Hindu. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  26. ^ Shwenk, Martin; Murthy, Narayana; Poonawalla, Adar; Jain, Manu; Kamath, Nitin (27 August 2024). "BJP calls for Bengal Bandh on Wednesday to protest against atrocities by police on students". The Economic Times. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  27. ^ Chowdhury, Subhankar (28 May 2025). "Mamata Banerjee sets teacher hiring in motion, says review petition will be pursued in Supreme Court". Telegraph India. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  28. ^ "Jobless teachers hold torch rally in Kol, distribute leaflets during bus trip to Del for Jantar Mantar stir". The Times of India. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  29. ^ "WB Cop Defends Baton Charge in WBSSC Teacher Protest". NewKerala.com. 17 May 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  30. ^ Roy, Suryagni (7 April 2025). "I can be jailed but..: Mamata Banerjee vows to back sacked Bengal teachers". India Today. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  31. ^ "'আন্দোলনের একটা লক্ষ্মণরেখা আছে', সহানুভূতি দেখালেও চাকরিহারাদের কড়া বার্তা মমতার". ETV Bharat News (in Bengali). 19 May 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  32. ^ "SC annuls jobs of 25,000 Bengal school teachers, orders fresh hirings". The Federal. 3 April 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  33. ^ "19,000 Teachers "Likely To Be Eligible": Bengal School Service Body". www.ndtv.com. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  34. ^ Bengal: Corruption in School Service Commission – An Auditor's View, 6 May 2024, retrieved 29 July 2025
  35. ^ Som, Moyurie (26 May 2025). "Bengal teachers insist they won't take re-exam; delegation off to Delhi". The Hindu. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  36. ^ "Bengal teachers recruitment scam: Protesters march to Assembly, BJP stages walk-out". BusinessLine. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
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