Kolkata, 13 May (H.S.): In a major development in the West Bengal school recruitment scam, the state Education Department has directed all District Magistrates to prepare lists of “identified tainted” candidates who allegedly secured teaching and non-teaching jobs in government-run schools by paying money.

According to sources, district administrations have been asked not only to identify such candidates but also to prepare detailed calculations of the salaries paid to them during their service period along with the applicable interest. The state government is now preparing to initiate the process of recovering those amounts.

Officials of the Education Department said the “identified tainted” candidates include those who allegedly obtained jobs despite submitting blank or incomplete answer sheets in recruitment examinations, as well as those appointed through irregular rank manipulation or recruitment outside the officially approved panel.

It may be recalled that the Calcutta High Court in 2024, and later the Supreme Court of India in 2025, cancelled the 2016 recruitment process conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission, citing large-scale irregularities in the selection procedure.

The courts had invalidated the appointments of nearly 26,000 teachers and non-teaching staff members. Judicial orders had also stated that candidates who secured appointments illegally would have to return the salaries received along with interest.

However, the recovery process had not moved forward for a long time. Following fresh instructions at the higher administrative level, the Education Department has now decided to expedite the implementation of the court directives.

The communication sent to District Magistrates also referred to the Supreme Court’s order dated April 3, 2025, which clearly stated that ineligible candidates who obtained jobs through payment of money under the 2016 panel of the School Service Commission would be required to refund their salaries.

Sources said that while there had earlier been allegations of administrative laxity in pursuing the matter, the state government is now moving swiftly to enforce the Supreme Court’s directions.

The recruitment scam had triggered massive controversy after lists of allegedly ineligible candidates surfaced a few years ago, with claims that relatives and close associates of several leaders of the Trinamool Congress were among those named.

A total of 25,735 appointments were cancelled in the recruitment scam, including 18,418 teachers, while the remaining were non-teaching staff members.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh