Calcutta HC orders CBI inquiry into West Bengal school recruitment irregularities

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Monday ordered a preliminary inquiry by the CBI into alleged irregularities in the appointment of Group D staff in aided or sponsored schools under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) on purported recommendations by the state's School Service Commission (SSC).

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The order was passed on a petition by some job aspirants, claiming that appointments were given to persons after the expiry of the panel proposed for the posts of Group D staff in aided/sponsored secondary and higher secondary schools in the state.

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay directed the CBI to hold a preliminary inquiry into the alleged irregularities and submit a report before the court by December 21. Further orders in the matter will be passed after the submission of the preliminary inquiry report by the central agency, the court observed.

The petitioners had initially produced before the court a list of 25 such appointees, but later claimed that more than 500 additional such appointments were made. The WBBSE claimed that all the appointments were given on the basis of recommendations by the SSC. But the commission submitted an affidavit before the court stating that after May 4, 2019, when the panel of Group D staff had expired, no recommendation letter was issued by it.

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Meanwhile, WBBSE has announced that the offline classes for Class 10 and 12 will be held on alternative days to maintain social distancing. As per the circular issued by the WBBSE, physical classes for Class 10, 12 will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. While Class 9 and 11 can visit schools on Tuesday and Thursday.

Further, the board instructed that there will be no classes for students on Saturday. Instead, schools are asked to conduct an awareness and feedback session for the parents and guardians on every Saturday.

(With inputs from PTI)