Kolkata, May 12 (IANS): A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered termination of service of 36,000 primary teachers in different state-run schools in West Bengal.

While passing the order, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay observed that none of these 36,000 teachers had proper training for getting recruited as primary teachers and they got recruited without appearing for the compulsory aptitude tests.

However, Justice Gangopadhyay ordered that these 36,000 primary teachers will be able to attend their respective schools for the next four months and during that period they will be entitled for the salary of para-teachers instead of that for regular teachers.

If any candidate among these 36,000 completes the requisite training in the interim period, he/she will be eligible for appearing for examinations in the next recruitment phase.

Justice Gangopadhyay also directed the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) to fill up the vacant posts arising out of the termination of services.

He also observed that if WBBPE wishes, it can recover the cost for conducting fresh recruitment exams from Trinamool Congress legislator and former President of WBBPE, Manik Bhattacharya, who is currently in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the scam.

In 2016, a total of 42,500 primary teachers were recruited by the WBBPE.

According to the BJP, if 36,000 of these 42,500 teachers are being terminated, one can easily understand the extent of corruption in the recruitment process.