Jobless teachers to move Delhi, meet civil society members
The Statesman | 22 July 2025
As West Bengal’s ruling Trinamul Congress took out its annual Martyrs’ Day rally Monday, over 200 jobless school teachers — previously selected through the state’s School Service Commission (SSC) — are supposed to leave for Delhi tonight to protest what they allege is unjust dismissal due to corruption in the recruitment process.
The teachers plan to highlight their grievances during the monsoon session of Parliament, which begins Monday. They claim they were wrongfully terminated despite being qualified, following judicial scrutiny of alleged irregularities in the recruitment process under the state’s education department. “This government is celebrating 21 July as a show of its honesty, but we have been made martyrs by its mistakes,” said Mehboob Mondal, one of the agitating teachers. “We are leaving for Delhi on 21 July to voice our protest.” Teachers from Sealdah, Howrah, and Malda will board trains on Monday night, distributing leaflets on the way.
In Delhi, the group has lined up a series of programmes, including public awareness campaigns, poster exhibitions, and meetings with civil society members and academics. A convention involving civil society and education professionals will also be held. The protesters have sought meetings with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Opposition leaders, and MPs. Memorandums will also be submitted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
The simultaneous demonstrations — the party’s flagship annual rally and the teachers’ protest in the capital — underscore growing dissent over alleged governance failures in the education sector, a key issue that could influence political narratives in the coming months.