The Calcutta High Court has declared the 2016 recruitment process for West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools null and void, impacting 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff. The court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the appointment process and has asked the affected individuals to return their salaries along with 12% interest. The selection process involved a state-level selection test (SLST) panel that recommended candidates based on their performance in the teacher eligibility test (TET), academic marks, interview, and personality test. However, controversies arose when some TET candidates complained that several individuals not included in the SLST panel received appointment letters. An inquiry committee found that a five-member panel overseeing school appointments had allegedly manipulated candidate rankings and issued appointment letters after the panel’s expiry date. The CBI’s subsequent investigation revealed unauthorized identification of teaching vacancies and fictitious recommendations by scanning signatures of regional service commission chairpersons. The court has ordered the CBI to continue its investigation to determine the number of illegal appointments and identify those involved in manipulating the process.