From tampering OMR sheets to appointing ineligible candidates — how four powerful figures orchestrated the Bengal SSC scam
In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of India invalidated the entire 2016 panel of the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC), resulting in the termination of nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching jobs. The verdict followed an extensive CBI investigation that began in 2022, unearthing a web of corruption involving senior officials and political influence at the highest levels.
The CBI, in multiple chargesheets, has identified four key individuals as the main architects of the scam — now referred to as the “Four Pillars of SSC Corruption”. These are Shantiprasad Sinha, Subires Bhattacharya, Ashok Saha, and Kalyanmoy Gangopadhyay. Their alleged crimes range from destruction of OMR answer sheet data, manipulation of marks, to illegal appointments of ineligible candidates through forged recommendation and appointment letters.
1. Shantiprasad Sinha – The Advisor Who Led the Deceit
A former SSC advisor, Sinha played a pivotal role in the conspiracy. According to the CBI:
He appointed middlemen like Prasanna Roy and Rohit Kumar Jha to collect money from ineligible candidates.
Directed Samarjit Acharya, a commission officer, to forge recommendation letters.
Oversaw the publication of 183 fake recommendation letters even after panel expiry.
Personally ensured destruction of critical OMR data, including backups and soft copies.
Collaborated with then Education Minister Partha Chatterjee in giving illegal jobs to four protestors from the candidate agitation.
WhatsApp chats with Partha’s OSD revealed the illegal recruitment coordination.
2. Subires Bhattacharya – The OMR Manipulator
As SSC chairman, Subires Bhattacharya is accused of:
Directing contract employee Parna Bose to manipulate marks in the SSC server.
Instructing to inflate marks post-evaluation from external agency NICEA.
Influencing interview boards and instructing regional chairpersons to leave evaluation sheets blank or use pencil for easy tampering.
Participating in the destruction of OMR backups, like Sinha.
3. Ashok Saha – Another SSC Chief in the Scam
Serving as SSC Chairman after Subires, Ashok Saha allegedly:
Approved 183 fake recommendation and appointment letters, facilitating jobs for unqualified candidates.
Helped destroy OMR backups and soft copies, aiding tampering cover-ups.
Assisted in illegal appointments of protestors, in coordination with Sinha and Partha.
4. Kalyanmoy Gangopadhyay – Board Chief Turned Recruiter
Though not directly from SSC, Kalyanmoy Gangopadhyay, then head of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, misused his power by:
Collaborating with Sinha to facilitate fake recruitments of 183 unqualified candidates.
Ensuring that appointment letters were issued within 90 days based on forged recommendations.
More Names in the Chargesheet
Besides the main four, the CBI also named:
Parna Bose: SSC program officer who manipulated candidate data on the SSC server.
Prasanna Roy: The alleged chief middleman, operated a statewide network to extract bribes and submit forged applications.
Pradeep Singh, Jui Das, Mohammad Azad Ali Mirza, and Imam Momin: All were directly involved in the forgery and benefited from the illegal recruitment as teachers.
Why the Supreme Court Cancelled the Entire Panel
The court found that answer sheets (OMRs) were deliberately destroyed, making it impossible to differentiate between eligible and ineligible candidates. The “systematic tampering” forced the court to cancel the entire recruitment list to maintain the sanctity of the education system.
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