Judge-turned-MP demands SSC examine OMR sheets to bring out list of ‘eligible’ school staff

PTI, KOLKATA, APRIL 8, 2025 : Calcutta High Court judge-turned-BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay on Tuesday demanded that the School Service Commission (SSC) initiate the process of segregating the ineligible from eligible school staff rendered jobless after a Supreme Court order, by scrutinizing OMR sheets. Claiming that the task could easily be carried out by the Commission, Gangopadhyay also said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should take immediate steps to form a committee that will help find a mechanism to save the jobs of “eligible teachers.”

The Supreme Court on April 3 upheld a 2024 Calcutta High Court judgment annulling the recruitment of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff appointed through the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment drive, terming the entire selection process “vitiated and tainted.” Those who were rendered jobless claimed that the reason behind their plight was the inability of the SSC to differentiate between the candidates who secured employment through fraudulent means and those who did not.

Accompanied by a group of around 20 “eligible teachers,” Gangopadhyay went to the SSC office to meet its Chairman Siddhartha Majumder, but he was not present. The BJP Lok Sabha MP then met some other officials and handed over a memorandum demanding that the Commission begin the process of identifying the deserving candidates by checking OMR sheets, which, he claimed, can easily be done by the SSC.

"If the SSC is unable to check OMRs, which must be with them, we will presume they are under pressure (not to do it). But they have to do this," he said.

The Tamluk MP said he will come to the SSC office again on April 9 and meet the chairman to press for the demand. "I am asking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to constitute a committee at the earliest to find out a mechanism so that the eligible teachers can return to service. Even now, eligible and tainted candidates can be segregated,” Gangopadhyay said. “Why can't the SSC bring out the OMR sheets, mirror images of which can be retrieved for each candidate? Is there anything to hide?" he asked.

This is the second time in four days that the former judge made the suggestion to the CM.