DPS I’puram sacks 42 staff, DM orders inquiry

Ghaziabad: DPS Indirapuram has sacked 42 of its employees, including teachers. While the sacked staffers alleged that they were given termination letters without the school management assigning any reasons, the latter attributed the decision to funds crunch owing to low fee collection during the lockdown.
An inquiry under the city magistrate has now been initiated, following a formal complaint by the sacked employees to the Ghaziabad district magistrate and the district inspector of schools. Both parties have been asked to give representations before a two-member committee, officials said.
One of the sacked teachers, however, claimed that 40 more of the 300-plus employees have been asked by the school to find a new job.
Manish Chandra, a physics teacher who lost his job, claimed that the school management told them about their termination from services with effect from July 1, via an email on 26 June. “No reason has been assigned to the mass sackings. That’s why we have approached the district authorities,” he said.
“DPS Indirapuram is on a sacking spree. While 42 employees have formally lost their jobs, another 40 have been asked to look for new jobs. Those who lost their jobs include teachers, lab technicians, librarians and lowest-level staff. Some of the sacked employees were associated with the school for the past 17 years,” he told TOI. Another sacked employee said: “The manner in which the school terminated our services is in violation of the terms of employment. Even though we have been offered three months’ salary, we would fight the injustice meted out to us in a court of law if the issue is not resolved at the level of the district administration”.
In a statement, a private agency handling the public relations for DPS Indiprapuram said the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic had impacted the school. “In April, the school received only 20% of the fees, which were due, and till date, it has received just 54% of the total fees for the first quarter.”
The statement further said that during the lockdown, some teachers were not conducting online classes in a proper manner and “keeping in mind their irresponsible behaviour, their services have been terminated after paying them three months’ salary”.
When contacted, Ajay Shankar Pandey, the district magistrate, Ghaziabad, said a two-member committee under the city magistrate has been set up to look into it. “The city magistrate and the district inspector of schools will look into the matter and they have sought representation from both parties soon,” he said.