'Problems will be solved this year', Mamata assures SSC teachers after SC relief

Unemployed teachers in West Bengal found a glimmer of hope on Thursday after the Supreme Court provided temporary relief in the long-running education recruitment case. Following the apex court’s order, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a press conference at Nabanna, assuring that the problems faced by 'eligible' jobless candidates would be resolved within this year.

According to the Supreme Court's directive, teachers who qualified under the 2016 recruitment process will be allowed to continue working in schools till December 31, 2025. The court also instructed the School Service Commission (SSC) to issue new recruitment guidelines by May 31, 2025, and complete all pending recruitment processes by the end of December this year.

Expressing her commitment to the cause, Mamata Banerjee said that the state government had earlier approached the Supreme Court seeking protection for the eligible candidates. She emphasized that authorities are actively working to ensure that deserving candidates are not left stranded.

The Chief Minister acknowledged the emotional turmoil faced by the affected teachers, stating, “We are your colleagues, your sympathizers. When you are in pain, we also feel the pain.” She also reassured the teachers regarding their salaries, clarifying that the confusion surrounding their payments will now be cleared following the court’s latest order.

Mamata further highlighted the earlier verdict’s challenges, where completing the recruitment process within three months seemed impractical. However, with the December deadline now in place, she expressed full confidence that all recruitment and related issues would be sorted out by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, disappointment lingers among some untainted SSC candidates who feel December 31, 2025, has been set as a 'death date' for their careers. Despite this, the government and judiciary’s latest moves aim to balance fairness while addressing the massive backlog in the education sector.