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Lack of records a roadblock for SIT probe into teachers recruitment scam in Uttarakhand
The Special Investigation Team inquiry against government teachers is facing a tough time due to non-availability of official documents
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The Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry against government teachers is facing a tough time due to non-availability of official documents.
The task is daunting given that neither teachers have submitted documents nor the district education officers have service book records.
In the last two months, the SIT inquiry led to court cases against two government teachers in Haridwar, one in Dehradun, police complaints against four teachers of a Doon school and departmental investigation against seven Shiksha Mitras. In all these cases, the documents provided by the teachers were found to be from unrecognised universities.
There are 168 complaint cases, a majority (80) of them from Haridwar. Even after resolving about 20 such cases, the SIT is finding it tough to go about with probe. “The documents are not made available because of which there are hurdles in making inquiries in the cases,” SIT in-charge Shweta Chaubey told Hindustan Times.
The SIT is looking into appointments of government school teachers which took place between 2014 and 2016. This is limited to primary and junior school education. But, the team is right now working only on complaints received so far.
School education minister Arvind Pandey had ordered all district education officers to maintain service books, but even officers are facing a tough time in doing so. No record was made in past at the district-level and the teachers are also not making their documents available. “Ideally, the service book should be maintained. But, it couldn’t be maintained because of various reasons. Now, the teachers are not furnishing details to us. It will take time,” a district education officer said.
But director general, school education, Alok Shekhar Tiwari refuted the claim. “The documents are being provided to the SIT. Yes, there’s issue in maintaining service books at district level as the designated officers have moved on and have been replaced by others. We are trying to get the documents.”
