Department serves notice on Gopalganj education official

PATNA: The state education department has served show-cause notice on Gopalganj teachers’ employment appellate authority’s presiding officer Arun Kumar Sinha and debarred him from discharging duties till the departmental inquiry is over. Arun is accused of violating the rules for appointing primary teachers at panchayat and block level government schools.

The inquiry was ordered on December 21 by director of primary education Arvind Kumar Verma. “Some irregularities were found in the selection process of teachers between 2006 and 2017. He has been given 15-day time to reply to the education department,” he said.

Arvind told this newspaper on Saturday if Arun failed to come up with satisfactory reply, stern action will be taken against him.

The inquiry was initiated on a complaint from Gopalganj’s district education officer (DEO) and district programme officer (establishment). In their letters to the department in August, the DEO and DPO alleged that Arun had committed large-scale bungling in teachers’ selection.

According to education department officials, Arun appointed around 100 teachers at panchayat and block level in government primary schools of Gopalganj district without following the criteria of recruitment prescribed by the department.

“In case of any vacancy in government primary school after a teacher retired or died, Arun made appointments on the basis of a merit list issued in 2006 and 2008, without inviting fresh applications. As per rules, it is mandatory to invite fresh applications for appointment on a vacant seat,” said Arvind.