Punjab’s principal secretary, education, has termed the MTech degree of Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) secretary Gurinder Pal Singh Bath “not valid and admissible”.
Anjali Bhawra stated this in her affidavit filed before the Punjab and Haryana high court in reply to a petition filed by Malwinder Singh, a social studies master, challenging the appointment of Bath as PSEB secretary, inter-alia, on the grounds that his MTech degree acquired through distance mode was not valid.
Bhawra informed the court that the state government had directed the education board to reconsider Bath’s appointment, and file amended reply before the HC after taking action.
In her affidavit, Bhawra stated, “On the basis of correspondence with the All India Council for Technical Education, Punjab Technical Education, and University Grants Commission, the government observed that the MTech degree obtained by Gurinder Pal Singh, as a bonafide student from Aggarwal College, Mohali, through distance education mode from Karnataka State Open University, is not valid and admissible.”
Bhawra submitted, “The state government on August 25 also issued instructions to the PSEB to reconsider his appointment to the post of secretary, PSEB, and to file an amended reply before the HC after taking necessary action.” The petition now comes up for hearing on September 29.