PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Following the complaints of fake certificates, the Education minister, Dhan Singh Rawat has ordered an investigation of the teachers who have wrongly obtained and benefited from the Divyang certificates. The Education department has set up a four-member committee, led by the director of Secondary Education to thoroughly examine the certificates of teachers on a case-by-case basis and submit its report to the government. Based on the findings of this investigation, strict action will be taken against any teachers found to have taken unfair advantage.
Rawat said that this action follows a public interest litigation filed in the High Court, which resulted in the commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) providing a list of 52 ineligible teachers from the State Medical Council (SMC) for investigation. This list includes two headmasters, 21 lecturers and 29 assistant teachers. Notices have been issued to all these teachers at the departmental level and 20 lecturers along with nine assistant teachers have submitted their responses to the department, he said.
Rawat emphasised that strict measures will be enforced against both teachers and non-teaching staff who improperly benefit from reservations. Additionally, the certificates of other staff members will be examined separately at the departmental level. He stated, “The State has provisions for reservations for Divyang (persons with disabilities) in State services, which apply equally to appointments and promotions within the School Education department. The department has continuously provided reservations to persons with disabilities in appointments and promotions, in accordance with various rules. However, it is concerning that some teachers are exploiting these provisions based on their Divyang certificates. The investigation into these cases will ensure that the situation is appropriately addressed.”
