The Supreme Court’s blistering rebuke of the West Bengal administration, describing how systemic manipulation in the 2016 State Level Test Selection (SLST) appointments has “adversely impacted the lives of thousands” of students and aspirants; set off a chain of events that ended this month with the School Service Commission (SSC) publishing a list of 1,804 candidates it says were appointed through a vitiated process.
The Bench of Justice PV Sanjay Kumar and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma on August 29, said, "You (West Bengal government) have the list of tainted candidates, given by the CBI. If you are allowing any of those candidates to appear again, take it from us, we will come down on you like a ton of bricks."
Senior Advocates Menaka Guruswamy and Vibha Datta Makhija appeared for the petitioners. Guruswamy argued that the State did not adopt any shifting mechanism to weed out the tainted.
"That we have to check on, let the selection go through. If you're able to show that any tainted candidate has been selected again. You (West Bengal's government) will face the music," Justice Kumar remarked.
Counsel for the State of West Bengal contended that these are just allegations that are being made.
"These allegations are already borne out by your application before the High Court, to allow the tainted candidates to appear again. Why would you go before the High Court and even make such a prayer? Why would you do that? Once they have already been identified as 'tainted candidates'. You (West Bengal government) go before High Court and file an application and ask for permission to allow them to write the exam," Justice Kumar said, while slamming the TMC government.
The Bench further remarked, "There is no justification for that, unless some Minister wants some candidate.."
To this, the Counsel for West Bengal submitted, "No, No. not supporting anything."
The Court said, "Anyway, we are keeping a close watch on what you're doing. Please be mindful. We will definitely interfere, if you do this kind of tinkering again. You've already ruined the lives of these people. People are out on the roads. We are being blamed for your mess. The Government, you are supposed to be a model citizen and this is what you do- 'a selection process is tainted' because some Minister wants his candidates to be there. God knows what else went on..you are responsible for this, all the authorities concerned, the board, the service commission and the state government (TMC)." The Court permitted the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) to go ahead with its scheduled fresh recruitment tests on September 7 and 14, while making it clear that no tainted candidate will be allowed to participate.
Significantly, the Court reiterated its earlier order (August 21, 2025) that untainted teachers already appointed and allowed to continue till December 31, 2025, will be permitted to sit for the fresh selection process. Importantly, they will not be compelled to meet the new eligibility norm of securing 50% marks in graduation or post-graduation under the SSC’s 2025 rules.
The Court further extended the application window by ten days, directing that if any eligible candidate faced technical difficulties, they could file physical applications till September 2, 2025.
Rejecting demands for a deferment, the Court observed that SSC had already arranged for the tests on September 7 (Classes IX-X) and September 14 (Classes XI-XII). “No postponement is warranted at this stage,” the Bench said, clarifying that its earlier observation about deferring the process “need not be acted upon.”
The Court also took note of SSC’s assurance that none of the tainted candidates, whose names were placed in the public domain as per earlier orders, would be allowed to appear. Even if some managed to slip through, the SSC’s August 25 notice allowing post-exam scrutiny would ensure their disqualification.
Furthermore, the Court emphasized that these assurances, recorded in its order, would be binding on the SSC.
Sequence of events in the WBSSC matter:
- April 22, 2024: The Calcutta High Court
quashed SLST-2016 appointments, calling the selection “shrouded in mystery” and ordering cancellations.
- April 3, 2025: The Supreme Court
upheld the High Court’s findings, holding the entire selection exercise compromised by fraud and cover-ups. The Court made clear protection of recruitment integrity outweighed individual hardship and ordered steps to protect genuinely untainted candidates.
-Early August 2025: The Supreme Court
dismissed review petitions challenging its April 3, 2025 judgment that had quashed the controversial West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment process, holding that the entire selection exercise was irretrievably compromised by fraud and cover-ups. The Bench observed that the review pleas were, in essence, an attempt to seek a re-hearing on merits, despite the fact that all factual and legal aspects had already been considered at length in the earlier judgment.
- Late August 2025: After repeated judicial prods, the Supreme Court directed the SSC to place details of tainted candidates in the public domain. The Commission complied and uploaded names, roll numbers and serial numbers of 1,804 candidates.
SSC’s publication of 'tainted candidates' and immediate consequences
The SSC released the list late on August 30, 2025. Media reports confirm the list contains 1,804 names and that the Commission has cancelled admit cards for several affected candidates for upcoming selection tests. Political fallout was immediate: parties traded charges over delays and the state faced renewed pressure to explain why the list was not published earlier. Several listed candidates say they were not given a fair chance to reply and plan legal challenges.
Notably, as per news reports, on September 2, a group of teachers named in the list of 1,804 “ineligible (tainted)” candidates released by the School Service Commission (SSC) moved the Calcutta High Court seeking reinstatement and permission to sit for the September SSC exam.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharya dismissed the plea, noting that the issue is already pending before the Supreme Court. On the request to allow them to take the exam, the judge remarked, “There is a limit to everything,” adding that it was not possible for the High Court to examine the documents of over 1,800 candidates.
During the hearing, when told that the teachers had already been barred from schools, the Court questioned why they had approached the Bench only at the last moment. The judge observed that the Supreme Court had earlier passed orders against them and asked why no legal steps were taken then. Counsel for the petitioners argued that this was the first time such a list had been formally published, but the court declined to grant any relief.
Case Title: Rehana Begum & Ors. v. The State of West Bengal & Ors. and connected matters.
Order Date: August 29, 2025
Bench: Justice PV Sanjay Kumar and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma