Supreme Court Upholds HC Verdict on WBSSC Scam

On 3rd April 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court's decision to cancel over 25,000 appointments made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016 due to large-scale recruitment irregularities.

Key Points

Fraudulent Appointments: The SC observed that the appointments were made through fraudulent means, amounting to cheating, and found no reason to interfere with the HC's verdict.
25,753 Jobs Terminated: The HC annulled 25,753 teaching and non-teaching posts due to tampered OMR sheets, rank manipulation, and appointments beyond sanctioned vacancies.
No Salary Recovery: While the appointments stand cancelled, the SC ruled that appointees need not return salaries already received.
CBI Probe Allowed: Despite the stay on termination in 2023, the SC had permitted the Central Bureau of Investigation to continue its probe into the scam.
Massive Irregularity Scale: Over 23 lakh candidates applied for 24,640 posts, but more than 25,000 appointment letters were issued, indicating systemic corruption.