File photo of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) logo at CBI headquarters. The agency registered the FIR on March 19 in connection with alleged irregularities in the appointment of teacher assistants for primary schools in West Bengal. | Photo Credit: PTI
The Central Bureau of Investigation registered a new FIR in connection with alleged irregularities in the appointment of primary school teacher assistants in West Bengal in 2020, officials said March 19.
The FIR was registered for unidentified individuals, they said, based on a Calcutta High Court order instructing a federal investigative agency to investigate the allegations.
The case concerns alleged irregularities in the appointment process of 16,500 primary teachers initiated by the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) on 23 November 2020 to take the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and train candidates.
WBBPE conducted interviews and aptitude tests for candidates and released the first merit list on February 15, 2021.
It is alleged that the West Bengal Primary Education Board used questionable and corrupt means in appointing teacher assistants for primary schools in West Bengal, and for this, and to keep applicants in the dark, WBBPE does not “Do not publish the entire merit list of successful candidates” , says FIR.
This is contrary to the provisions of the West Bengal Primary Teacher Employment Regulations 2016 and subsequent amendments, the statement said.
According to the FIR, unworthy candidates were removed from the merit list by changing their categories from general to exempt.
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It is also alleged that, as part of a criminal conspiracy, unknown officials of the West Bengal Primary Education Board have also given undue advantages to some candidates by awarding high grades, even higher than the overall grades set/required for such candidates’ educational qualifications. in TET,” the FIR said in a statement.
The Calcutta High Court is following up cases regarding teacher recruitment fraud in West Bengal.
In January, a court removed an officer from the CBI’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating an elementary school recruitment scam, for failing to properly investigate.
Forming the SIT last June, Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay said that the investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of primary school teachers would be overseen by the court.
