Torn Pages, Broken Bones - The Violent Suppression of Teachers’ Voices

A shocking incident unfolded in Kolkata on 9 April when teachers and non-teaching staff, dismissed following a Supreme Court verdict, were brutally assaulted by the state police. Visuals emerged of uniformed officers kicking and beating the protesters with metal batons outside the District Inspector of Schools (DI) office in Kasba. Teachers - many bloodied and injured - were seen pleading with folded hands, crying out: "Kill us at once. We cannot live with this dishonour. Is this the lesson the Chief Minister promised us on 7 April?"

This disturbing incident has left Bengal stunned. Following the loss of their jobs due to the Supreme Court’s 3 April verdict, which annulled the recruitment of several secondary, higher secondary and non-teaching staff due to alleged corruption, the protesters were hoping to peacefully demand justice. Instead, they were met with force. The violence left several men and women grievously injured and mentally devastated.

In Bankura, some teachers, overwhelmed by despair, attempted self-immolation by pouring kerosene over themselves in front of the police. This journalist was present at the time and bore witness to the chaos.

Moumita Bhattacharjee, an assistant teacher from Paharpur High School in Barjora Block, expressed her anguish: "Bengal witnessed police brutality against us on 9 April. How are we supposed to live with dignity now?"

Santanu Maity, a dismissed teacher injured in the incident, said: "We did not come here to create unrest. We only demanded that the government immediately publish the list of eligible and ineligible candidates. Our protest was peaceful. The police are not our enemies, but under the orders of the ruling TMC-led government, they beat us indiscriminately. We condemn this inhuman act."

Many teachers and non-teaching staff, both men and women, claim they have become victims of widespread corruption in the state’s recruitment process. They believe the government is now using force to cover up the scandal. Several of them also allege that not only leaders from the ruling TMC but also some BJP leaders also are under CBI investigation in connection with the same.

The teachers' statements have been widely shared on social media, evoking public sympathy and rage."First, we were sacked by a Supreme Court order that deemed the recruitment process beyond redemption. Then, despite assurances from the Chief Minister, we received no concrete resolution. And now, we’ve been kicked, punched, and hit with batons on the streets for demanding justice," said Purobi Sarkar, a non-teaching staff member of Krittibas High School in Bishnupur, Bankura.

Responding to the backlash, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma acknowledged the issue, calling the police action "undesirable" and urged protestors not to take the law into their own hands. However, the official police statement attempted to justify the action, stating that "light force was used to bring the situation under control."

This justification has failed to pacify the teaching community."How can the police beat up teachers with batons? Are we criminals? Goons? An attack on one teacher is an attack on the entire fraternity. The police must apologise immediately," said Sudipta Gupta, assistant teacher from Purba Bardhaman and President of the All Bengal Teachers’ Association (ABTA).

On 10 April, teachers across the state staged marches and demonstrations, condemning police brutality and demanding that eligible teachers and non-teaching staff be reinstated, and that the government publish the list of ineligible candidates without delay.

 Job losing teacher and non-teaching staffs are waiting to enter in Netataji indoor stadium on 7th April

“Go to work—who has forbidden you? Anyone can offer volunteer service,” said Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, while addressing over 10,000 dismissed and aggrieved teachers and non-teaching staff at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on the afternoon of 7 April.

Her remarks followed the 3 April Supreme Court verdict that upheld a previous Calcutta High Court order, directing the dismissal of approximately 25,752 secondary and higher secondary teachers and non-teaching staff appointed to government-aided schools in West Bengal through the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in the 2016 recruitment cycle. As per the CBI’s initial findings, over 5,000 individuals were allegedly appointed through corrupt practices.

Despite these serious allegations, the Chief Minister offered a vague assurance, stating: "I will look after everyone. First, let me identify and secure the jobs of the eligible candidates. Then I will revisit the cases of ineligible ones. Let us examine the evidence—who is truly ineligible? My top priority now is to protect the eligible candidates."

This meeting was officially convened to address only the eligible candidates. Entry passes were issued for this purpose. However, chaos erupted outside the stadium even before the meeting began. It was alleged that these entry passes were being sold, allowing even some of the ineligible candidates to enter. Additionally, several individuals reportedly not affiliated with teaching—including TMC loyalists from unrelated professions—were spotted inside the venue.

After the meeting concluded, many teachers and staff expressed disappointment. There was no clear resolution or action plan announced. Instead, the Chief Minister advised them to provide "volunteer service," a suggestion that left the attendees disillusioned.

 Teachers are asking to Chif Minister what their future is on 7th April in Netaji indoor stadium .

“We expected a solution but were instead advised to work like civic volunteers. We have effectively been reduced to ‘civic teachers.’ This is humiliating,” said Chinmoy Mandal, a spokesperson of the Deserving Teachers’ Rights Forum.

Bapina Ballav, an assistant teacher at Brahmandiha High School in Taldangra Block, Bankura, shared: “Most of us are the sole earners in our families. Who will bear our household expenses?”

RupaliPatra, an assistant teacher at Jajigram S.A. High School in Birbhum, added: “We are not here to offer volunteer services—we are qualified teachers."

Post-Meeting Betrayal

Two jobless teachers, Dhritish Mandal and Mehboob Mandal, were present on stage during the 7 April meeting, where they delivered speeches in front of the Chief Minister. Mamata Banerjee publicly responded to their words, offering hope to thousands. Yet, just two days later, both teachers became targets of police action. Dhritish Mandal was beaten and hospitalized, while Mehboob Mandal, a leader of Jogyo Shikshak Shikshika Adhikar Manch, was arrested.

“We never expected this form of governance,” they said in despair.

“At the Netaji Indoor Stadium, the Chief Minister promised to stand by us. But now, the police are being used to suppress our rightful demands,” added Rupa Banerjee, a teacher at Government Colony Girls’ High School, Kulti, Paschim Bardhaman district.

Many educators across the state echoed similar sentiments: “If the state government had taken timely action, we wouldn’t be in this position today. Why is the Chief Minister now defending the undeserving? Why are those who paid bribes and those who accepted them still free?”

On 10 April, the dismissed teachers and non-teaching staff returned to the streets in protest—this time bearing both emotional scars and physical injuries. One image, widely circulated on social media, showed a teacher, Amit RanjanBhunya, being kicked by a police officer. He joined the protest march in Kolkata, visibly shaken but resolute.

“Before kicking me, a police officer tried to slap me. Are we criminals? Rapists? Murderers? The ones who committed recruitment fraud are walking free, while we—the victims—are being beaten and humiliated,” Bhunya said.

Several terminated teachers and non-teaching staff have demanded that the government release the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets of all candidates who were recruited through the 2016 WBSSC examination. “If the OMR sheets are published, the truth will be clear to all,” they asserted.

Sukumar Pain, General Secretary of the ABTA, stated: “The Supreme Court has repeatedly asked the WBSSC to submit the list of eligible and ineligible candidates along with their OMR sheets or mirror images. However, throughout the legal proceedings, the WBSSC failed to present the required documents. This led the Supreme Court to lose confidence in the state’s handling of the case, exposing serious flaws in the recruitment process.”

Teachers are protesting on road bankura

Lack of Clarity from the Government and School Authorities

Despite over a week having passed since the Supreme Court’s verdict, the state government has not issued any directives concerning the sacked teachers and non-teaching staff. District Inspectors of Schools and school headmasters/headmistresses are also in the dark.

“We are unable to go to school anymore. Parents and students look at us with suspicion, assuming that we all secured jobs through corruption. We feel humiliated. We cannot sign the attendance register, and the school authorities are not providing any clear explanation. The pain and uncertainty we are facing are indescribable,” said Manasi Bhoumik, an assistant teacher at Dhabani School, and Jiten Santra of Saspur High School, Bankura.

Financial Distress among Sacked Staff

Many terminated staff reported that they had taken loans to build or purchase homes and vehicles. With their salaries discontinued, they are now unable to pay their EMIs. They also face challenges in covering the cost of medical treatments for themselves or their family members.

Pijush Kanti Bera, the District Inspector of Schools in Bankura, confirmed, “We have not yet received any instructions regarding the sacked teachers.”

Uttam Khan, Headmaster of Holudkanali High School in Ranibandh, Bankura, stated, “Salaries are typically processed through the Integrated Online Salary Management System (IOSMS) by the 10th of every month. However, as of 11 April, no salary requisitions have been uploaded for the current month.” Many sacked teachers have confirmed receiving their salaries for March, but are unsure about payments for April.

Impact on Bengal's Education System

After the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, the first WBSSC recruitment examination was conducted in 2016. During the Left Front regime (1998–2010), recruitment was held annually through the WBSSC.

According to the Right to Education Act (2009), the ideal student-teacher ratio is 30:1. In 2008, under the Left Front, the ratio stood at 35:1. However, the current ratio has worsened to 70:1, said Sudipta Gupta, President of the West Bengal State Committee of ABTA.

He further revealed that more than 3,98,000 teaching and non-teaching positions remain vacant across the state—from primary to higher secondary levels.

Teachers and non-teaching staffs who lost their job are agitation on the road of Medinipur town and DI office on 8th April

Both Gupta and Sukumar Pain warned that the situation will deteriorate further following the court’s dismissal of nearly 26,000 teachers and staff. “In many schools, the number of teachers is already below the minimum requirement. Schools in Jangalmahal—especially in Ranibandh (Bankura), Ayodhya Hills (Purulia), and Belpahari (Jhargram)—have either shut down or are on the verge of closure due to staff shortages.”

Last month, the Bankura district administration ordered the closure of seven Madhyamik Shiksha Kendras (MSKs) due to lack of teachers. In 14 years, the TMC government failed to appoint a single teacher to MSKs, leading to a sharp decline in student enrollment.

Following the verdict, several schools across Ranibandh, Sarenga, Bishnupur, Saltora, Raipur (Bankura), Joypur, Bandowan, Jhalda (Purulia), and Nayagram, Lodhasuli, Lalgarh (Jhargram) are likely to shut down higher secondary courses.

“It's not just a few schools—numerous institutions across the state are at risk of becoming teacher-less,” warned Pain and Gupta. “Where will the students go? Will their families be able to afford private education? Many will be forced to drop out and migrate in search of work.”

Bengal already ranks second nationally in school dropout rates and incidents of child marriage. Teachers and parents fear these numbers will only rise in the aftermath of the mass terminations.

All picture by Madhu Sudan Chatterjee