New Delhi, May 15, 2025: The long-awaited review petition regarding the cancellation of over 26,000 government school jobs in West Bengal has once again hit a roadblock. The hearing, which was expected to take place soon in the Supreme Court, did not occur following the retirement of Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday. The case was scheduled to be heard by the Chief Justice’s bench, where Justice Khanna was a member.
With his retirement, the case will now need to be re-allocated to a new bench, but the exact composition of that bench is yet to be confirmed.
The Controversial SSC Panel: What Led to the Crisis
On April 3, 2024, the Supreme Court upheld a Calcutta High Court verdict that cancelled the entire 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment panel, affecting 25,735 candidates. This sudden cancellation has caused chaos in West Bengal’s education sector, especially in secondary and higher secondary schools.
In response, the West Bengal government and the SSC filed a review petition challenging the Supreme Court’s order. The petition was submitted within a month of the verdict, but has not yet been admitted for hearing due to scheduling and judicial changes.
Temporary Relief: Supreme Court’s Interim Order in April
Taking into account the disruption to students, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education had earlier requested a modification of the Supreme Court’s decision. On April 17, 2024, the apex court granted temporary relief:
Teachers who were not found to be fraudulently or illegally appointed would be allowed to continue teaching until December 2025.
Their salaries would remain unchanged during this period.
However, the court also directed the West Bengal government to issue a notification for a fresh recruitment process by May 31, 2025. That order has not been implemented yet, and instead, the state filed a review petition that now remains in limbo.
Uncertain Future for Thousands of Job Seekers
The delay has left over 25,000 affected candidates in a state of uncertainty. Many of them had been working for years and were now relying on the Supreme Court to offer permanent relief or allow reappointment through a fair process.
Legal experts and teachers’ associations are expressing concerns that further delay could cause a major disruption in Bengal’s academic schedule for the upcoming year.
Leadership Change in Supreme Court
Meanwhile, Justice B.R. Gavai was sworn in on Wednesday as the 52nd Chief Justice of India. He will serve a six-month tenure. The SSC review petition will now likely be reassigned to a new division bench under his leadership, but the court has not yet listed the matter for a fresh hearing.