Fearing action, over 1,400 schoolteachers resign -Madhuri Kumar

-The Times of India

PATNA: Over 1,400 primary schoolteachers have resigned till date apprehending legal action for allegedly taking the job on fake educational certificates. "We expect more teachers to resign by July 9, the deadline set for doing so to escape punishment," said Vinodanand Jha, OSD to principal secretary, education department, on Thursday.

The resignations follow the Patna high court directive to the state government on Monday last week to ask the schoolteachers having fake or invalid certificates to resign within a week of the public notice to be published within two days. Hearing a PIL, the court had also observed that teachers who continued in service with fake certificates even after the deadline shall be liable to punishment and recovery of the salary paid to them.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice L Narasimha Reddy and Justice Sudhir Singh had also observed, "We are amazed at the statement of education minister who himself made a public announcement that appointments have been made on fake/invalid certificates. But such teachers still continue in service."

The same bench on May 18, 2015, had ordered a vigilance probe into such appointments. The vigilance probe officials had said nearly 3 lakh teachers' certificates needed verification.

"Over 1,400 teachers have resigned from service. More resignations are expected. The final figure will be known only after July 9," said education department spokesperson Amit Kumar.

Education department sources also said there was a provision for mass amnesty if teachers with fake/invalid certificates resigned on their own. However, FIRs would be lodged against those found guilty and the government would move for recovery of salary and other benefits given to them.

The state has over 3.5 lakh primary schoolteachers and the PILs allege that a large number of them had fake educational certificates. The state government, following the HC order, has already asked the vigilance department to probe the educational qualifications of the teachers. The vigilance bureau has deputed eight DSPs and 38 inspectors for the purpose.