Kolkata, Apr 7 (PTI) Several "eligible" teachers, whose jobs were annulled by the recent Supreme Court order, expressed dissatisfaction with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's assurances during the meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium here on Monday and claimed that no concrete guarantees were provided regarding reinstatement of their jobs.

Showing printouts of the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets from the 2016 SSC recruitment exam, Suman Biswas, a teacher at Nakasipara High School in Nadia district, told PTI, "The CM did not utter a single word about the SSC taking into account the OMR sheets of 'untainted candidates' and submitting the same to the apex court."

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Allegations had surfaced during the probe that 'tainted' candidates secured jobs by tampering with their OMR sheets, which compromised the chances of deserving candidates.

"What she said about giving voluntary service in schools and not sending any termination letters to the candidates makes little sense. The Supreme Court had repeatedly asked the CBI and SSC to furnish details. Her bluff and tall words have been exposed," Biswas, who used to commute from his Hooghly residence before his job was terminated, said.

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"Either you ensure we get back our jobs, or we will hit the streets and even face bullets," added the teacher, who had been working for over eight years.

"Today, as the CM spoke, we tried to raise our points several times but were not listened to," he claimed.

Sanchita Majumdar and Payel Sarkar, teachers from Bulbulchandi High School in Malda, said the CM advised them to "work voluntarily to ensure there is no break" in their service period."

However, they were not given any concrete assurances about the security of their jobs.

"We are at a loss as to how we will go to school to give voluntary service and whether that will be construed as contempt of the court's order. We want to work, we want to teach, we have been examining papers. But there is no written notification stating that we can continue to work in the same capacity.

"And there is no word about salary. The only saving grace is the CM's assurance that the jobs of untainted teachers will, under no circumstances, be terminated. We are at a loss in this situation," Majumdar added.

She also shared that she had left her clerical job at a state government department after clearing the 2016 SSC recruitment test.

"I know the Supreme Court has left it open for candidates like us to return to our previous jobs by writing to the department concerned following due legal process. But how this can be done is unclear. After all, I joined the teaching profession because I cleared the test and proved my ability. Why should I be asked to return to my old job, which also involves a tedious process that could take years?" she added.

Sourav Chakraborty, a teacher from a South 24 Parganas school, thanked the CM for facilitating the meeting and promising legal support in their battle.

However, he expressed concerns about his financial obligations.

"Will the bank listen? Until April 2025, I will receive my salary. But what about May, June and the subsequent months? What will happen to my home loan EMIs? It is not clearly stated that we won't have to return the money. We are not tainted. It is heartening that Didi is trying to solve the impasse from her heart. We also urge her to ensure that the original OMR sheets can be procured by the SSC, as they are the mirror images of the ones currently in question," he said.

Chakraborty also wondered if providing "voluntary service" could lead to contempt of court charges from the Supreme Court.

Among the non-teaching employees affected by the SC order is Saroj Bhuniya, a Group D staff member at Kusalkunda High School in Kalaikunda, Paschim Medinipur district, who is unable to speak or walk following a paralytic attack.

His sobbing wife said, "He was the sole earning member of our family. After losing his job, we are facing a difficult situation. His treatment and regular check-ups in Kolkata incur costs of lakhs of rupees. We wanted an audience with Didi today, but we were not allowed to reach out to her or any other officials." --

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)