Bihar to start re-verification of more than 1 lakh recently recruited teachers

The Bihar Education Department has ordered re-verification of nearly one lakh teachers recruited last month, following complaints that those turning up for the job were imposters.

Additional Chief Secretary, Education Department, K K Pathak in a letter dated December 28 to all District Magistrates (DMs) has called for re-verification drive from January 15, blaming the anomalies on the ''failure'' of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) to share thumb impressions of candidates who had appeared in the entrance examination with the department at the time of counselling in November.

''Following complaints of impersonation, the department recently called 4,000 selected teachers for random re-verification and also to find out whether the candidates who had appeared in the entrance examination were the same who joined the service. During the process, the department identified three imposters. Besides, three teachers, who had joined, fled away. Legal actions have been initiated against imposters by the department'', says the letter.

The Bihar government provided appointment letters to 1,20,336 newly recruited teachers, who had cleared the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-1) conducted by the BPSC, at all district headquarters in the state on November 2 this year. The Commission recently declared TRE-2 results also to fill a total with 86,557 posts of teachers of different subjects in the state.

Despite repeated attempts by the PTI, Bihar Education Minister, Chandra Shekhar, was not available for his comments on the issue.

''Now the BPSC has agreed to provide us thumb impressions of all selected candidates of TRE-1 and TRE-2, taken during written examinations. These impressions will be matched with those who have joined as teachers during the re-verification drive and counselling of selected candidates of TRE-2'', says the letter of ACS Education, which is in the possession of PTI.

The BPSC on Friday permanently debarred 49 candidates from appearing for any examination conducted by the commission for being allegedly involved in impersonation in school teacher competitive examination. A list of debarred candidates has been put on the Commission's website.

The letter says, ''All DMs are advised to call newly recruited teachers (of TRE-1) in batches for the re-verification and their thumb impressions will be matched with those collected by the Commission at the time of entrance examination. These teachers will come along with headmasters of their respective schools where they are currently posted'.

"If anomalies are detected during matching of thumb impression, immediate legal action should be initiated against those found involved in illegal practices'', the letter further adds.

''Aadhaar card history of all selected candidates will also be examined during the re-verification drive. It is often noticed that imposters frequently make changes in the Aadhaar card to avoid detection'', the letter says.