WB Govt to Launch Massive School Recruitment Drive to Fill 44,000 Posts
Kolkata, May 28, 2025 — In a significant move to address the large-scale job vacancies created by recent court rulings, the West Bengal government has announced a massive school recruitment drive to fill over 44,000 posts, including 24,203 positions vacated following Supreme Court and Calcutta High Court orders.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unveiled the recruitment roadmap on Tuesday, stating that the process will commence on May 30, just a day before the Supreme Court’s May 31 compliance deadline. “We are starting the recruitment process immediately to ensure there is no non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive,” Banerjee said during a press conference at the state secretariat in Howrah.
The recruitment initiative includes not only the previously vacated posts but also 20,000 additional positions, bringing the total number of vacancies to 44,203. These include 11,517 teaching posts for Classes IX and X, 6,912 for Classes XI and XII, and 1,571 Group C and D posts.
Addressing concerns over age eligibility, the chief minister assured that age relaxation would be granted to candidates who were affected by the nine-year delay in the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) panel. Moreover, work experience will be given priority, a measure aimed at benefiting teachers who lost their jobs after the court’s decision.
A separate notification, scheduled for early June, will provide alternative employment opportunities for Group C and D staffers who have been asked to return salaries or lost their jobs due to the court verdict.
“We have kept both paths open—compliance and legal challenge. While the review petition is still pending, we must proceed with the recruitment process to ensure stability and prevent further disruption,” said Banerjee.
She also urged the affected SSC teachers to participate in the fresh examination. “Take the exam, continue working at your school, and protect your right to return with dignity,” she said, adding that salaries will continue until the end of the year.
Banerjee took a swipe at opposition parties, accusing them of politicizing the issue. “We didn’t take away your jobs. Those responsible are now pretending to support you. Look at Tripura and Uttar Pradesh—thousands of jobs were lost, and no justice was served,” she pointed out.
The counselling process for the new recruitment is scheduled to begin on November 20. Banerjee assured transparency and fairness in the process, stating that the state government will also inform the court that the media and public were notified before the official recruitment notification was issued.