The suspension of a teacher, after allegations of illegal recruitment to government high schools, was recently revoked and the teacher reinstated without the consent of higher officers of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL), leading to disciplinary action against the staff involved.
The department had recruited Assistant Teachers Grade-2 and Physical Education Teachers Grade-1 for government high schools in the academic years of 2012-13 and 2014-15 twice.
But, during recruitment, the department had allegedly issued appointment orders to 11 members illegally. Among these were those who got less marks in the recruitment examination, and some who never applied but got appointed by allegedly forging documents.
A complaint was lodged against the accused teachers in the Vidhana Soudha police station and the government referred this case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The CID arrested 11 teachers and four officers and staff last September. The department also suspended them from service.
Some of the accused challenged the suspension order in the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSAT) and the High Court and got a stay.
On the basis of a High Court order, the DDPI of Ramanagara revoked one teacher’s suspension and reinstated her on June 9, 2023, without the consent of higher officers of the department.
The Commissioner for DSEL served a show-cause notice to the DDPI concerned on June 28. After the show-cause notice, the DDPI suspended the accused teacher from service. Meanwhile, the suspended teacher was arrested by the CID this July 3.
“The earlier Commissioner issued a circular to all the DDPIs on April 25, 2023 that in case of any court order on teachers’ suspension, the officer concerned should inform the head office first. But, the DDPI of Ramanagara reinstated an accused teacher without informing the head office. We are recommending disciplinary action against the DDPI and the staff,” said Cauvery. B.B, Commissioner for Public Instruction.
