Uttarakhand SIT asks Gorakhpur varsity to clear air on teachers’ degrees

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing appointment of teachers in Uttarakhand suspected to have used fake education certificates, has issued a notice to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Uttar Pradesh, seeking an explanation on its conflicting reports.

SIT had sent a communication to the university last year, asking it to confirm whether the teachers had cleared educational courses there. The university’s reports claimed both ‘yes’ and ‘no’, putting the probe team in a fix.

“We believe that someone at the university has nexus with the government teachers here. He is someone who is receiving our reports. One report says they got their degrees from the university and the other denies it. It’s difficult to believe any,” said Shweta Chaubey, SIT in-charge.

The team has taken legal action against three teachers posted at government primary schools in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar. The teachers had submitted BEd degree certificates issued by Gorakhpur University.

SIT has come across one more government teacher on whose degree the university reports are contradictory, said officials linked to the probe. The team has exposed 35 teachers who got government jobs using fake certificates.

School education minister Arvind Pandey constituted the SIT last year to expose the teachers employed since 2016 with fake degrees.

SIT is now investigating teachers against whom complaints were received. Nearly 60% of the complaints have been received from Haridwar and 40% from Dehradun, US Nagar, and Nainital, officials said.

The team communicated with institutions, many in UP, but faced difficulties only with the Gorakhpur University. “The university has to report within 15 days,” Chaubey said.

Probe officials also suspect the role of middlemen behind the university reports. “These people are trying to protect the Uttarakhand teachers. The government is serious about the issue; if needed, the nexus trying to safeguard the teachers will be busted,” an official said on the condition of anonymity.

Gorakhpur University did not respond to queries for an official comment.