In a significant move following the Supreme Court’s annulment of 24,203 school job appointments made through the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a comprehensive recruitment drive to fill the vacated positions and create an additional 20,000 jobs in the education sector.

Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata on Tuesday,Mamata Banerjee emphasized the state government’s commitment to both complying with the court’s ruling and ensuring that affected individuals are not left in despair. “We will recruit afresh in full compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive,” she stated. “We are also filing a review petition to request reconsideration of the court’s order and to seek justice for those who served with dedication.”

According to the Chief Minister, a total of 44,203 posts will be advertised—24,203 to replace the nullified appointments and an additional 20,000 to boost educational infrastructure. The official notification is set to be issued by May 31, with applications open from June 16 to July 14. Results and counseling will be completed by November 30.

Mamata  Banerjee assured that the new recruitment process would be transparent and fair. “There will be provisions for age relaxation and recognition of prior experience for those impacted. We understand their pain, and we are with them,” she said.

However, the announcement has triggered a wave of disappointment and protest among many of the dismissed teachers. Several of them expressed deep frustration over being asked to reappear for exams despite having worked in schools for years.

“We are not fresh candidates. We were appointed after a rigorous process and served students faithfully,” said an aggrieved teacher from North 24 Parganas. “The government should fight for our reinstatement. Asking us to sit for exams again is humiliating and unjust.”

Another teacher added, “The Supreme Court may have cancelled our jobs, but the state should have protected us. We’re being punished for faults in the system that we didn’t create.”

Teachers’ associations have also indicated plans for demonstrations if the state fails to secure their reinstatement. Some have demanded that a mechanism be introduced to absorb the affected teachers directly without requiring a fresh selection process.

While the Chief Minister’s announcement is seen as a proactive measure to address the crisis, the emotional and professional uncertainty facing thousands of teachers has added complexity to an already volatile situation.