Rita Sekhar v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

In the High Court at Calcutta 11.12.2025 Item no.D/L 27 Court No. 18 Sc Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction Appellate Side Case No.

WPA 25640 of 2025 In the matter of :

Rita Sekhar .... Petitioner VS.

The State of West Bengal & Ors.

....Respondents For the Petitioner:

Mr. Anindya Bose Mr. Santanu Maji Ms. Debrani Mondal Ms. Raima Das.

....Advocates For the State:

Mr. Sirsanya Bandopadhyay, Sr. S.C.

Mr. Sandip Das Gupta Ms. Mahima Cholera Mr. Niket Ojha Ms. Munmun Ganguly Ms. Sanjukta Samanta.

....Advocates For the WBCSSC:

Mr. Kalyan Kr. Bandopadhyay, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Biswaroop Bhattacharjee Mr. Arka Kr. Nag Mr. Rahul Kr. Singh.

....Advocates

1. The petitioner participated in the recruitment process of Assistant Teachers conducted by the West Bengal Central School Service Commission in the year 2025. She seeks reservation under the EWS category.

2. The certificate relied upon by the petitioner in support of such reservation was issued on 23rd September, 2025. The last date of

submitting the application was 21st July, 2025. The petitioner did not possess any certificate on that date.

3. The recruitment notice clearly mentioned that for being considered in the reserved category, certificates issued by the competent authority of only the Government of West Bengal on or before the last date of receiving the online application shall be treated as valid.

4. Admittedly, the petitioner failed to procure the EWS Certificate on or before the last date of receiving the online application. The petitioner relies on the addendum notices published by the Commission on 5th August, 2025 and 22nd September, 2025 in support of the submission that the Commission granted last opportunity to the candidates to update their categories and, accordingly, the Commission ought to take into consideration the EWS Certificate relied upon by the petitioner issued on 23rd September, 2025.

5. The Court is not convinced with the submission made by the petitioner.

6. The recruitment notice relying on which the applications were called for, mentioned a particular date within which the certificate ought to have been obtained by the candidates for seeking reservation. Permitting the candidates to update or edit caste, category or the category for reservation does not imply that certificates issued beyond the prescribed period can be relied upon.

7. If such relief is extended to the petitioner, then several other candidates who received their certificates after the last date will be deprived of the opportunity to be treated as reserved category

candidates. The same will amount to discrimination and injustice caused to them.

8. In view of the above, no relief can be granted to the petitioner in the instant case.

9. The writ petition fails and hereby dismissed.

10. Photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be furnished to the parties on usual undertaking.

(Amrita Sinha, J.)