Kolkata, 3 June (H.S.): The latest recruitment notification issued by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) has sparked fresh controversy, with petitioners from the 2016 recruitment batch moving the Calcutta High Court against the new rules. The petition alleges that the updated notification violates explicit directions issued by the Supreme Court of India.

The legal challenge has been filed by Lubana Parveen, who approached the special vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court. On Tuesday, Justice Parthasarthy Chattopadhyay allowed the case to be listed. The matter is now scheduled for hearing before Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury on June 5.

On May 29, WBSSC released new rules for recruitment, followed by a notification on May 30 inviting applications for approximately 44,000 posts. The updated guidelines include significant changes—such as modifications to the written examination marks, inclusion of experience-based scores, revised age relaxation norms, and new eligibility criteria.

However, the petitioners argue that these provisions are in direct contradiction to the Supreme Court’s clear directives, which had mandated that the 2016 recruitment process must be completed strictly under the rules and conditions applicable in that year. The apex court had further ruled that selection must be limited to candidates who had appeared in the 2016 examination.

According to the petition, both the Central Government and the WBSSC have failed to adhere to these binding directions. By introducing a new set of rules for the 2025 recruitment cycle, the authorities have allegedly ignored the rights of those connected with the 2016 process.

One of the key points of contention is the age relaxation clause. The Supreme Court had previously held that candidates should be entitled to age relaxation for every attempt they make. However, the new notification limits this benefit to only one instance, potentially disqualifying many otherwise eligible candidates.

Further, while the 2016 recruitment prescribed 55 marks for the written examination, the new rules propose a 60-mark test along with an additional 10 marks for professional experience. Petitioners argue that this new framework disadvantages candidates from the earlier cycle.

The plea maintains that this is not merely a procedural issue, but one that affects constitutional rights and the principles of natural justice. The petitioners have urged the High Court to direct the government and the commission to adhere to the Supreme Court’s ruling and complete the selection process strictly as per the 2016 recruitment guidelines.

The matter is now under judicial consideration, with thousands of candidates from the 2016 batch closely watching the outcome, which could have far-reaching implications for the state’s school recruitment process.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh