Supreme Court Blasts West Bengal in WBSSC Scam: ‘Smuggling Tainted Candidates, Ruining Students’ Futures’

The Supreme Court on Thursday came down hard on the West Bengal government over its handling of the tainted teachers’ recruitment scam linked to the State Level Selection Test (SLST) conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC).

A bench of Justice PV Sanjay Kumar and Justice Alok Aradhe pulled up the State for its submissions before the Calcutta High Court regarding tainted candidates. Expressing disbelief, Justice Sanjay Kumar remarked, “You said our judgment does not say anything on tainted candidates being permitted to appear. This is how the State of West Bengal is understanding the judgment? What kind of blue-eyed girls and boys are these that you even bring in the Advocate General to argue for them?”

The Court issued stinging criticism, observing, “On the face of it, it’s shocking; how you ruin the lives of these candidates by manipulating OMRs and bringing in your own people. Now you want tainted candidates to be smuggled in again.”

The bench also refused to entertain a fresh plea seeking more time for disabled candidates, making it clear that the deadline of September 2, 2025, fixed by its earlier orders, could not be extended. “Sorry, there is no new issue. That order applies to all. If you haven’t taken advantage of the time given, we can’t help. The date can’t be extended,” Justice Kumar said.

Counsel for the WBSSC submitted that pursuant to the Court’s earlier directions, “everyone has been removed.”

Notably, on August 29, the Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kumar had said, "You (West Bengal government) have the list of tainted candidates, given by the CBI. If you are allowing any of those candidates to appear again, take it from us, we will come down on you like a ton of bricks."

Senior Advocates Menaka Guruswamy and Vibha Datta Makhija appeared for the petitioners. Guruswamy argued that the State did not adopt any shifting mechanism to weed out the tainted.

"That we have to check on, let the selection go through. If you're able to show that any tainted candidate has been selected again. You (West Bengal's government) will face the music," Justice Kumar had remarked.

Counsel for the State of West Bengal had contended that these are just allegations that are being made.

"These allegations are already borne out by your application before the High Court, to allow the tainted candidates to appear again. Why would you go before the High Court and even make such a prayer? Why would you do that? Once they have already been identified as 'tainted candidates'. You (West Bengal government) go before High Court and file an application and ask for permission to allow them to write the exam," Justice Kumar had said, while slamming the TMC government.

The Bench had further remarked, "There is no justification for that, unless some Minister wants some candidate.."

To this, the Counsel for West Bengal had submitted, "No, No. not supporting anything."

The Court had said, "Anyway, we are keeping a close watch on what you're doing. Please be mindful. We will definitely interfere, if you do this kind of tinkering again. You've already ruined the lives of these people. People are out on the roads. We are being blamed for your mess. The Government, you are supposed to be a model citizen and this is what you do- 'a selection process is tainted' because some Minister wants his candidates to be there. God knows what else went on..you are responsible for this, all the authorities concerned, the board, the service commission and the state government (TMC)."

The Court had permitted the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) to go ahead with its scheduled fresh recruitment tests on September 7 and 14, while making it clear that no tainted candidate will be allowed to participate.

Significantly, the Court reiterated its earlier order (August 21, 2025) that untainted teachers already appointed and allowed to continue till December 31, 2025, will be permitted to sit for the fresh selection process. Importantly, they will not be compelled to meet the new eligibility norm of securing 50% marks in graduation or post-graduation under the SSC’s 2025 rules.

The Court further extended the application window by ten days, directing that if any eligible candidate faced technical difficulties, they could file physical applications till September 2, 2025.

It is to be noted that on April 22, 2024, the Calcutta High Court quashed SLST-2016 appointments, calling the selection “shrouded in mystery” and ordering cancellations.

On April 3, 2025, the Apex Court had upheld the High Court’s findings, holding the entire selection exercise compromised by fraud and cover-ups. The Court had made clear protection of recruitment integrity outweighed individual hardship and ordered steps to protect genuinely untainted candidates.

Earlier in August 2025, the Apex Court had dismissed review petitions challenging its April 3, 2025 judgment that had quashed the controversial West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment process, holding that the entire selection exercise was irretrievably compromised by fraud and cover-ups. The Bench had observed that the review pleas were, in essence, an attempt to seek a re-hearing on merits, despite the fact that all factual and legal aspects had already been considered at length in the earlier judgment.

Additionally, in Late August 2025, after repeated judicial prods, the Supreme Court had directed the SSC to place details of tainted candidates in the public domain. The Commission complied and uploaded names, roll numbers and serial numbers of 1,804 candidates.

Case Title: Mahuya Bera and Ors. v. The State of West Bengal and Ors.

Hearing Date: September 4, 2025

Bench: Justice PV Sanjay Kumar and Justice Alok Aradhe

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