[Reader-list] Corruption in Appointment of Teachers in Bengal

[A. Mani]

Source: Ganashakti
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Corruption in Appointment of Teachers in Bengal

The corruption in appointment of primary school teachers in West
Bengal came to the limelight some months ago, when Suranjana
Chakraborty, chairperson of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education
of South 24 Pargana district, leveled charges of nepotism and
corruption. Now, the corruption in School Services Commission (SSC)
which appoints secondary school teachers is also revealed. Amitesh
Biswas, Deputy Secretary of SSC said that candidates who had obtained
lower ranks in the SSC examinations were appointed, while higher
ranked candidates were left out. The Commission 'released' Mr Biswas,
after he leveled corruption charges against the commission in the
electronic media. However, it is being debated whether the commission
has the power to 'release' the deputy secretary.

After appointing relatives of Trinamool Congress leaders and ministers
as primary school teachers, the chairman of the Board of Primary
Education proudly declared three days ago that all young supporters of
Trinamool Congress will get jobs in primary schools. People of the
state are angered by such blatant expression of partisanship. It is in
this connection that Amitesh Biswas commented in an electronic media,
"I know, many candidates who got higher marks in the SSC examination
did not get jobs. Many less qualified candidates got jobs through the
commission's errors or sabotage. Among those who are now begging on
the roads as a sign of protest against the irregularities, at least
5,000 candidates should have legally been appointed". He also
complained that he is not being able to work in the commission. He
said, "For the last one month I am being told that I have to do
whatever the chairman asks. But I cannot do that. Whether it is the
previous chairman Mr Chittaranjan or the secretary, they are all
denying the rights of the job applicants to save their own jobs".

Biman Basu, Chairman of the Left Front and Secretary of West Bengal
CPI(M) State Committee demanded an overall investigation of the
irregularities in appointment of primary and secondary school teachers
in the state. He also demanded the immediate resignation of the
chairperson of SSC. He told reporters in Muzaffar Ahmed Bhavan
yesterday that Mr Biswas's statement clearly reveals the large-scale
corruption in appointment of teachers in West Bengal. The chairman of
the School Services Commission has no right to remain in his position
after these revelations. The state government should remove him if he
fails to resign. Such incidents never occurred in our State before. In
response to a question he said, Trinamool Congress leaders often make
allegations that the Left Front government has not been able to
achieve anything in the past 34 years. It is true that the Left Front
government could not achieve such levels of corruption in 34 years
that the Trinamool Congress government was able to achieve in 34
months.

5000 candidates whose names appeared in the SSC combined list have not
yet been appointed in jobs. They are protesting on the roads demanding
jobs. In a symbolic gesture, they are begging on the road. They sat on
a 22 days long hunger strike before the commission office. They have
not received their appointment letters yet. Many incidents have
indicated the corruption in appointments by the SSC, the deputy
secretary's statement has now clearly revealed the corruption. Many
top ranking candidates in the SSC combined list were not appointed
while candidates who obtained lower ranks were appointed. In some
cases, a group candidates in reserved categories are denied
appointment, while candidates from newly reserved status (such as
candidates from the group 'Sheikh', who were included in the OBC list
in 2012, much after the advertisement for SSC posts were declared in
2011) were given preference.

The candidates who appeared for the SSC examination had filed a case
in the court alleging corruption and opaqueness in the selection
process. Based on such allegations, the High Court instructed the
commission to reveal the merit list. The court has instructed that the
commission should reveal two merit lists, one list of candidates who
have teacher's training (B. Ed) and the second list of candidates
without training. The court ordered the commission that successful
candidates with training should get a preference in appointments.

The commission defied court orders and released a combined list. Such
a 'combined list' was unprecedented in the history of School Services
Commission examination. Though the combined list was prepared based on
merit, but all candidates were not called for counseling sessions that
precede appointments. This was done to allow Trinamool Congress
favoured candidates in jobs, while other candidates in the list will
have to wait for counseling. Since only one list was prepared,
candidates without teachers training were appointed, once again
defying court orders. Candidates had complained to the court once
again and the court had stayed the appointment of teachers. Later,
however, the court had taken off the stay order and appointments
continued.

Since the release of the advertisement for teaching posts in state
government schools, the SSC office was flooded with recommendations
for candidates from ruling party leaders and ministers. Many had
alleged that district level leaders of the ruling party had collected
hefty bribes from candidates. According a commission source, the
commission received about 15,000 recommendations. The commission
chairman at that time was Chittaranjan Mondol, whose ingenious
strategy to accommodate recommended candidates in the selection
process was the 'combined list'. However, those leaders whose
recommended candidates were not included in the combined list were
unhappy and finally he was removed from office. His successor was
Pradip Shur, lecturer of Kanchrapara college and Mukul Roy's close
aide. Pradip Shur included all the recommended candidates from the
combined list to the second counseling round. Since then, the various
malpractices of the SSC are coming to the fore. Mr. Biswas's statement
is the latest addition in this long-drawn saga of corruption and
nepotism.

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A. Mani



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