The Supreme Court’s recent verdict invalidating the appointments of nearly 26,000 teachers and non-teaching staff in West Bengal has severely impacted science education across the state. In the aftermath of the ruling, several schools — already stretched thin by faculty shortages — are now being forced to shut down their science streams altogether.
One of the starkest examples comes from Arjunpur High School in Murshidabad, one of Bengal’s largest schools with over 9,000 students. The school has announced that it will discontinue its science faculty at the higher secondary level starting from the upcoming academic session. The decision, authorities say, was unavoidable.
“We had 26 science teachers. After the Supreme Court verdict, we are left with just one,” said Mohammad Sohrab Ali, the school’s teacher-in-charge. “With only one science teacher and 20 sections across Classes IX to XII, continuing science education is simply not possible.”
This alarming decision reflects a broader crisis playing out across Bengal. According to government figures, 2,825 state-aided schools in Bengal offer science education in Classes XI and XII. Many of these schools now report having only one or two science teachers remaining.
At Bahradari Junior High School in Jhargram’s Sankrail block, science education is practically non-existent. The only teacher, Kisun Besra, lost his job due to the same verdict. Despite knowing he was no longer employed, Kisun continued to attend school and manage duties until recently.
During an ongoing internal evaluation, it was a retired guest teacher, Ajitkumar Bhuiyan, who stepped in to conduct exams and help manage the school. “I’m doing this out of humanity,” said Ajit, adding, “But after the exams, I will not return.”
With his exit, the school once again stands without any educators.
Efforts to recruit or place temporary teachers have failed to keep pace with the mass terminations. “It is very difficult to find teachers. What can be done!” said District School Inspector (Secondary), Shaktibhushan Gangopadhyay, reflecting the helplessness faced by the administration.
The impact of the crisis is being directly felt by students, particularly those aspiring to pursue science in higher education.
At Arjunpur High School, entire batches of students will no longer have the opportunity to study physics, chemistry, or biology. In rural areas like Jhargram, students from Class V to VIII — including Namita Singh, Devi Pramanik, Rajdeep Bera, and Alok Hansdara — are left with no one to teach them.
With no immediate resolution in sight, the future of science education in Bengal's government-aided schools hangs in the balance, raising serious concerns about the long-term academic prospects of thousands of students across the state.
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