Will make alternative arrangements for 'tainted' teacher candidates: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, Sep 4 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced that her government will make alternative job arrangements even for those teachers in state-run schools who have been identified as "tainted" for getting jobs against payment of cash and hence becoming "ineligible" for future recruitments.

She made the assurance as she addressed a programme on the occasion of the Teachers’ Day, which is observed on Friday, with her announcement of an alternative state government job arrangement for "tainted" or "ineligible" candidates comes amid the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) coming out with a list of 1,806 “tainted” candidates last week.

“After working as teachers for 10 years, they have been declared ‘ineligible’ candidates. We are taking a legal opinion about the future of such candidates. They will not be able to become teachers in the future. But we will try so that they can at least be accommodated as Group-C non-teaching staff in the state-run schools. We will look at the matter with a humanitarian aspect,” the Chief Minister said.

According to her, the process has started for the recruitment of those who are found to be "untainted" and hence, "eligible". "Anyone can apply regardless of their age. We have given them an age relaxation, and those who are eligible can return by passing the fresh recruitment examination. The recruitment process will be completed in two or three months. After that, the process for Groups C and D non-teaching staff will start. Those who have served for 10-12 years and have crossed their age will also be considered," she added.

On the occasion, Banerjee attacked those who approached various courts alleging irregularities in school jobs. "Some people move the court and get a stay on a recruitment. I do not feel happy if the school teachers lose their jobs," she said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s announcement of alternative job arrangements for those teachers in state-run schools who have been identified as “tainted” has irked the opposition parties and the “untainted” teachers.

According to them, Banerjee on Thursday once again made it clear that her real intention is to protect the interests of the "tainted" candidates, who got jobs against payment of money.

--IANS

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