Bengal’s higher education and school department minister Bratya Basu told the Assembly on Tuesday that 15,000 persons would be recruited under the School Service Commission (SSC) in the next two months.
Basu, replying to a question by Trinamul MLA Samir Jana, said: “We will clear legal hindrances and make 15,000 appointments in the SSC in the next two months.”
SSC sources said cases pertaining to 5,000 appointments were pending in court. Complaints from 13,000 job seekers were settled till October 8. Names of 1,200 more job seekers have been released till November 30. The process of appointment should be over by December, an SSC source said.
Recruitments to upper primary teachers’ posts have been delayed because of legal battles for seven years. The commission had to strike down its merit list after Calcutta High Court in December last year declared it invalid because of lack of transparency. Following the high court’s order, applicants had to sit for interviews twice. The court’s order also compelled the SSC to accept complaints from applicants alleging irregularities in the merit list.
Hence, the state deems it safe to clear legal hurdles first.
Basu also clarified the state’s stand on the National Education Policy. He said the government would not bow down if the NEP was forcibly imposed on the state. “Bengalis have a certain kind of thought and education. There are differences of opinions regarding the NEP. We won’t accept any one-sided fatwa,” he said.
Minister flayed
Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Tuesday, called out fire and emergency services minister Sujit Bose for not being able to answer a question placed by Trinamul MLA Abdul Khalek Mollah.
Mollah sought information on the number of fire incidents in the state till August 31 and how many people had lost their lives in these incidents. The minister replied saying that no information or data was readily available with him.
The Speaker called out Bose and said: “What are you saying? (You must) See this issue humanely. Why will you not have the information… Arrange for such information in future.”
