2-3 lakh recruitments in Bengal once OBC issue sorted out: Mamata

PTI, KOLKATA, MARCH 20, 2025 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said recruitment to fill at least two to three lakh vacancies in various state government departments could proceed once the ongoing survey to assess community backwardness—and thereby include more groups under the OBC category for reservation—is completed and receives approval.

Speaking in the Assembly, Banerjee lamented that recruitment had been stalled due to court cases filed by opposition parties, urging them not to "play games" that hinder the process of filling vacancies. She expressed satisfaction at the Supreme Court allowing the state's plea to conduct a fresh assessment of community backwardness for OBC categorisation and reservation, aiming to complete it within three months.

"Those against OBC recruitment have moved court, thereby blocking the recruitments. Yesterday, there was a hearing at the Supreme Court, and it was good. I think the matter will be sorted out soon," she said.

"They have not stopped our survey, so we will continue it. I think once the survey gets the necessary go-ahead, recruitments could be initiated," Banerjee added.

She noted that the stalled recruitments—affecting departments such as primary and higher secondary education, health, and police—were directly linked to the ongoing OBC reservation dispute.

"I will urge them (those opposing the ruling TMC party) not to play any game, instead go for some exercise which would do good to your health," she remarked.

The West Bengal government on Tuesday informed the apex court of its decision to conduct a fresh survey to identify OBCs in the state. A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and A.G. Masih was hearing a petition by the Trinamool Congress government against an order of the Calcutta High Court quashing the classification of 77 communities, the majority of them Muslims, under the OBC category.

In May 2024, the High Court had canceled all OBC certificates issued in the state since 2010. The bench had also struck down several portions of the West Bengal Backward Classes Act, 2012.