In a landmark verdict, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday delivered justice to 32,000 primary school teachers, setting aside a controversial 2023 order that had cancelled their appointments and labelled them as part of an 'institutional fraud'. The division bench's decision overturned the earlier ruling by a single bench, which had alleged that jobs were sold during the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2014 recruitment process.
A Verdict That Restores Dignity
The courtroom was quiet as the verdict was pronounced, but a roar of relief and joy erupted outside the premises. For the thousands of teachers who had gathered, some having not slept the night before, the judgment was a moment of vindication. The earlier order was passed by Justice Abhijit Ganguly in 2023, who has since become the BJP MP from Tamluk.
"We are teachers, not thieves," exclaimed one educator, capturing the collective sentiment. Another teacher, Sahin Firdousi, articulated the long ordeal: "We were suddenly tagged as ‘institutional frauds' and deserted by society. We had been working over the past two and a half months but received neither sympathy nor moral support. We needed this documented verdict to prove our innocence and to erase the stain from our image."
The Personal Toll of the Allegations
The teachers described immense social and professional humiliation during the period their jobs were under a cloud. Susmita Majumder from Dum Dum said the verdict means they can finally enter school with their heads held high. For Anup Saha from Habra, the stigma had tangible consequences. His loan application at a nationalised bank was cancelled solely because he belonged to the 2014 TET panel.
The emotional and social backlash was severe. Suman Ray, recently promoted to head teacher, spoke of extreme social backlash and teasing from close circles. "Several of our friends' marriage proposals fell through due to this reason," Ray revealed. The teachers also struggled with the perception of their students. "Being portrayed to our students as someone who got this position in exchange for money was utterly humiliating. But we remained strong," said one teacher.
The Road Ahead and Unresolved Grievances
While the ruling brings closure for the 32,000 appointed teachers, it does not end the legal battle surrounding the TET 2014 process. Candidates who qualified in 2014 but were not appointed have hinted at moving the Supreme Court against this verdict. Achinta Dhara, spokesperson for the ‘2014 TET Qualified But Not Included Candidates' Forum, stated, "We never wanted the jobs of eligible candidates to be cancelled. But the court should see our matter, too. We have valid documents."
The division bench, after hearing both sides extensively, concluded that the single-bench order of 2023 needed to be set aside. The teachers' long wait for a verdict to clear their names has finally ended, restoring their professional legitimacy and personal dignity after a gruelling period of uncertainty and social ostracisation.
