The West Bengal government is preparing to introduce rules restricting newly recruited government school teachers from participating directly in political activities or contesting elections. School Education Minister Dipak Barman said the rules would be framed soon to implement a decision taken at the state cabinet meeting on Wednesday. 

The proposed restrictions will apply only to teachers appointed through future West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment examinations. Those already working in government schools will not be covered, the minister clarified. 

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West Bengal To Frame Rules For Future SSC Recruits 

Barman said the cabinet had approved the decision to prevent future SSC-recruited teachers from engaging directly in politics. He added that similar restrictions were already in place in several other states. 

"Those who will be recruited as teachers through West Bengal School Service Commission exams will come under the proposed rules prohibiting political activities. This is already in practice in several other states. Necessary rules to this effect will be framed in the near future," Barman said on Thursday. 

The minister's statement followed Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's announcement after Wednesday's cabinet meeting. The chief minister had said that teachers appointed through future SSC recruitments would not be permitted to participate directly in politics or contest elections. 

Existing Government School Teachers Exempt From Proposed Rules 

The restriction will not extend to teachers who are already in service. Adhikari specifically said that the decision would not affect existing teachers, including those who currently hold elected positions in panchayats and municipalities. 

Explaining the government's decision, the chief minister referred to restrictions followed in other states, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. 

"Teachers in no other state of the country are directly involved in politics. Seeing the examples of states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, we have decided that teachers in West Bengal will also no longer be allowed to participate directly in politics," the CM had said. 

He also specified the elections that future SSC-appointed teachers would not be allowed to contest. 

"Those appointed through the SSC in the coming days will not be allowed to contest panchayat, municipal, assembly or Lok Sabha elections, or engage directly in politics," he had said. 

Minister Responds To Question On BJP Teachers' Cell 

When asked whether the BJP would establish a teachers' cell in West Bengal, Barman said, "We will discuss the issue." 

The minister was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting held at the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education building in Kolkata. The discussion covered administrative, infrastructural, and academic matters. Chairpersons of primary education councils from 21 districts, along with heads of the state's primary and secondary education boards and the higher secondary education council, attended the meeting. 

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Government Considering Teacher Accountability System 

Barman also said the state government was considering an accountability mechanism for primary school teachers from the next academic year. 

Under the proposed system, teachers' performance could be linked to annual increments and promotions. The minister said teachers would be expected to account for their students' learning outcomes as part of this mechanism.