By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun/Nainital, 3 Aug: Around 150 teachers in Uttarakhand have come under scrutiny after the High Court directed verification of their documents. Following the order, the officials across the state have been asked to send lists of such teachers to the headquarters. Significantly, questioning of these teachers is to be completed before 15 August so that a decision regarding their government service can be taken.
The matter concerns those who have become government teachers after completing Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) from Uttar Pradesh. The HC’s directive has prompted the education department to undertake large‑scale verification. So far, about 150 teachers have been identified whose documents are to be examined.
The issue has surfaced following a PIL that had alleged that several government teachers had secured jobs using forged documents. Acting on this petition, the High Court has instructed the education department to investigate. When the department sought information from all the districts, it found nearly 150 teachers who had completed D.El.Ed in Uttar Pradesh and later obtained government appointments in Uttarakhand.
The controversy centres on the rule that, before 2024, only permanent residents of Uttar Pradesh were eligible to pursue D.El.Ed there. Petitioners argued that if only UP residents could undertake the course until 2024, then candidates from outside the state could not legitimately secure government jobs in Uttarakhand. It was alleged that such candidates obtained permanent residence certificates in Uttarakhand through improper means to gain appointments.
Reports have been sought from all the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) and the preparations have begun to question the teachers identified in this category before 15 August. Director of Primary Education Kunwar Singh Rawat stated that the matter has been pending for some time and directions have come from the High Court. He confirmed that 150 teachers have been identified and their side will be heard soon. Teachers who completed D.El.Ed in Uttar Pradesh before 2024 face uncertainty over their jobs, while those who pursued the course after 2024 are expected to be unaffected. Several appointments in government schools after 2024 involve teachers with D.El.Ed qualifications, but only those who undertook the course in UP before 2024 are under question.
The final decision has not yet been taken. The education department will also seek clarifications from the petitioner and provide the teachers an opportunity to present their case before any conclusion is reached.
