The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) has published the long-awaited tainted candidates list from the 2016 recruitment scam. The list includes 1,804 names of teachers and non-teaching staff who allegedly secured jobs by paying bribes or through irregularities. This action follows the Supreme Court directive of August 28, 2025, which ordered the commission to release the names within a week. The scam, considered the biggest teacher recruitment scandal in West Bengal’s history, has directly impacted thousands of students, families and teachers.
On April 3, 2025, a Supreme Court bench headed by CJI Sanjeev Khanna cancelled the appointment of 25,752 teachers and Group-C/D staff recruited in 2016. Later, on April 17, 2025, the Court allowed only “non-tainted teachers” to continue their service until December 31, 2025, but directed them to appear for a fresh recruitment exam. The exam is scheduled to be held on September 7 and 14, 2025, ensuring merit-based and transparent hiring in government schools.
The WBSSC scam first came under the scanner after multiple complaints of corruption, fake merit lists, and politically-backed irregularities in the 2016 panel. Following a Calcutta High Court order in May 2022, the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and ED (Enforcement Directorate) began probing the case. With the release of the 1,804 tainted names, those candidates stand permanently disqualified, giving thousands of genuine aspirants fresh hope for justice and fair recruitment.