E-Paper
Himachal Pradesh: School lecturer dismissed after inquiry in sexual harassment case
According to official orders issued in January 2026, Rupinder Kumar Chaudhary, then PGT (IP) posted at Government Senior Secondary School Kalruhi in Una district, has been dismissed under Rule 11(ix) of the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965.
The Himachal Pradesh Directorate of School Education has dismissed a government school lecturer from service after a departmental inquiry found charges of sexual harassment of a minor student to be proved.
According to official orders issued in January 2026, Rupinder Kumar Chaudhary, then PGT (IP) posted at Government Senior Secondary School Kalruhi in Una district, has been dismissed under Rule 11(ix) of the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965. With the issuance of the order, he has ceased to be in government service with immediate effect.
The disciplinary action follows a long legal and departmental process that began in June 2019, when an FIR was registered against Chaudhary at the Women Police Station, Una, under Section 376 of the IPC and Section 4 of the POCSO Act, based on a complaint by a Class 12 student of the school. He was subsequently taken into judicial custody, and disciplinary proceedings were initiated by the education department.
A detailed report submitted by the deputy director of Higher Education, Una, recorded statements of the victim in the presence of the school principal, staff members and representatives of the School Management Committee. The report concluded that the teacher had sexually harassed a minor student by misusing his position.
The department initially imposed the penalty of dismissal in June 2019. However, the matter remained under litigation for several years, during which the high court of Himachal Pradesh passed multiple orders, including setting aside earlier dismissal orders and directing the department to conduct a fresh inquiry while keeping the employee under suspension.
Following a fresh inquiry conducted as per court directions, the inquiry officer concluded that the charges were proved on the basis of statements of witnesses, medical reports and documentary evidence. Acting on these findings, the Directorate of School Education reaffirmed the major penalty of dismissal from government service.
The order noted that such acts are intolerable, especially from a teacher, who is expected to uphold high moral values and serve as a role model.
