The 34,000 Primary Teachers Training Institute (PTTI) students, whose career was in jeopardy as their degrees became illegal because of a court order, received an assurance from the state that after the elections the government will actively consider their case.

A delegation of PTTI students met Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta at the Writers’ Buildings on Friday. Both leaders assured them that the government would keep their interest in mind when they start recruitment process of the 50,000 primary teachers.

“The chief minister said the government was with us. They have told us the steps they will undertake for us but because of the model code of conduct we cannot reveal that now,” Ashoke Rudra, general secretary of the PTTI students union, said after the meeting.

The state government had already said it would recruit 50,000 primary teachers after the elections and make provisions for the employment of students. A few weeks ago, Bhattacharjee had announced in the state Assembly that the government would do its best to save the lives of PTTI students. So far nine such students have committed suicide.