Will write to Mamata on Bengal school jobs scam: Pradhan

KOLKATA: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said he will write to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to seek her view on alleged teacher recruitment irregularities at state government-sponsored and -aided schools.

He met a group of school job aspirants who have been protesting against alleged malpractices in the appointments of teachers.

"Charges of wrong merit lists and other recruitment anomalies have been raised by the job aspirants. This is unbecoming in Bengal, the land of worshippers of Goddess Saraswati. I will write to the chief minister on behalf of the Centre to seek her views on the matter," Pradhan told reporters here.

The Enforcement Directorate had on Saturday arrested senior state minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with the alleged scam.

ED personnel had on July 22 carried out raids at various places in the state as part of their probe into the money trail involved in it.

Crores of rupees in cash along with other items were allegedly recovered from the residence of a woman, who apparently happens to be a close associate of Chatterjee, the industries minister who earlier held the education portfolio, according to sources.

PTI could not independently verify the information.

Meanwhile, Pradhan said he would urge NCERT to incorporate in the new curriculum the contributions of 'Anusilan Samiti', a patriotic organisation of revolutionaries in Bengal, to the country's freedom movement.

"The present generation must know about revolutionaries like Aurobindo and Bagha Jatin in the light of the 75th year of Independence," he said.

KOLKATA: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said he will write to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to seek her view on alleged teacher recruitment irregularities at state government-sponsored and -aided schools. He met a group of school job aspirants who have been protesting against alleged malpractices in the appointments of teachers. "Charges of wrong merit lists and other recruitment anomalies have been raised by the job aspirants. This is unbecoming in Bengal, the land of worshippers of Goddess Saraswati. I will write to the chief minister on behalf of the Centre to seek her views on the matter," Pradhan told reporters here. The Enforcement Directorate had on Saturday arrested senior state minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with the alleged scam. ED personnel had on July 22 carried out raids at various places in the state as part of their probe into the money trail involved in it. Crores of rupees in cash along with other items were allegedly recovered from the residence of a woman, who apparently happens to be a close associate of Chatterjee, the industries minister who earlier held the education portfolio, according to sources. PTI could not independently verify the information. Meanwhile, Pradhan said he would urge NCERT to incorporate in the new curriculum the contributions of 'Anusilan Samiti', a patriotic organisation of revolutionaries in Bengal, to the country's freedom movement. "The present generation must know about revolutionaries like Aurobindo and Bagha Jatin in the light of the 75th year of Independence," he said.