SC extends SSC recruitment deadline by 8 months, 'Eligible' teachers to receive salary till Aug 31, 2026

In a major relief for teachers affected by the West Bengal SSC recruitment scam, the Supreme Court has extended the deadline for completing the fresh hiring process from December 31 to August 31 next year. This eight-month extension means "valid" or "eligible" teachers—who lost jobs due to earlier irregularities but are not personally blamed—can continue working and drawing salaries till August 31, 2026. The decision came after requests from the state government, SSC, and school education board, acknowledging the complexity of redoing the entire recruitment fairly.

Lawyer Kalyan Bandyopadhyay explained that the process is almost complete for classes 11-12, with final results expected by January 7, 2026 and counselling starting January 15. For classes 9-10, the selection should finish by mid-March, followed by counselling. The Supreme Court accepted the need for extra time to ensure transparency and avoid rushing, preventing eligible teachers from suddenly becoming jobless and unpaid after December.

Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu welcomed the ruling, calling it proof of the state's commitment to fair hiring under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's guidance. Representatives of affected teachers, like Mehboob Mandal and Chinmoy Mondal, described it as positive temporary relief that avoids a crisis, while hoping the SSC finishes appointments on time and no innocent teacher is left out.