Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court has ordered the verification of educational qualifications and appointment documents of teachers working in Uttar Pradesh’s basic schools. The court has directed teachers to submit valid documents to the concerned Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) within one week of receiving the official notice.
The order aims to identify cases in which teachers may have obtained government jobs using forged educational certificates or documents belonging to other people. The court has also directed officials to take appropriate action against those found responsible for fraudulent appointments.
Details of UP Teacher Document Verification
A bench headed by Justice Vinod Diwakar issued the directions while hearing a petition related to the appointment of an assistant teacher in a government school.
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The court was informed that several teachers in Uttar Pradesh had allegedly secured employment by using forged educational documents. In some cases, more than one person was reportedly appointed using the same set of educational certificates.
Taking note of these allegations, the court directed the authorities to conduct a statewide verification exercise covering teachers working in basic schools who teach Classes I to VIII.
Teachers Must Submit Educational And Appointment Documents
Under the court’s directions, teachers must provide legible copies of their appointment letters and educational qualification documents to the concerned BSA.
The documents may include certificates relating to High School, Intermediate, Graduation, B.Ed., B.T.C., D.El.Ed., B.El.Ed. and other required qualifications, along with applicable TET or CTET certificates.
Teachers must submit the documents within one week of receiving the notice issued by the concerned BSA. The verification will help authorities check whether the teachers meet the eligibility requirements for their appointments.
Case That Led To The UP Teacher Document Verification Decision
The matter arose from a petition filed by a woman identified in the report as Kusumlata. She approached the court seeking directions to the District Basic Education Officer in Sant Kabir Nagar to approve her appointment as an assistant teacher and release her salary.
She claimed that she had been appointed in Siddharth Nagar district on January 2, 2006, and was promoted on July 12, 2010. However, she was placed under suspension on February 11, 2021, following allegations that she had used forged documents to secure her appointment.
According to the state’s counsel, an inquiry found that she had allegedly used educational documents belonging to another teacher, Kusumlata Srivastava, who was posted at a school in Gorakhpur district.
UP Teacher Document Verification: Special Task Force Asked To Investigate
On October 8, the court directed the petitioner to appear before the Additional Superintendent of Police, Special Task Force (STF), Lucknow, on October 12 and 13, along with the relevant documents and claims.
The STF was asked to examine the validity and genuineness of the documents within one week and submit a report to the court. However, the petitioner reportedly did not appear before the STF on either date and also did not submit her educational qualifications for verification.
The investigation further brought to the court’s attention allegations that several teachers had obtained government jobs using forged documents.
Court Directs Action Against Fraudulent Appointments
The High Court referred to its earlier directions concerning teachers who had secured appointments through fraud or by misleading the authorities. It said that appointments found to have been obtained through fraudulent means could be cancelled, and salary recovery could be ordered wherever legally permissible.
The court also directed disciplinary and penal action against officials found to have colluded with those involved in fraudulent appointments or deliberately ignored such cases.
Teachers Must Declare Relatives Working In The Education Department
In addition to submitting their own documents, teachers have been directed to file notarised affidavits disclosing details of specified immediate relatives who are serving or have retired from positions at the level of Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) and above in the Uttar Pradesh Education Department.
The specified relatives include spouses, parents, children, in-laws, siblings-in-law and first-degree cousins. Teachers who do not have relatives covered by this requirement must submit an undertaking to that effect.
BSA Officials Must Prepare Verification Records
The court directed Basic Shiksha Adhikaris to issue instructions to school headmasters to ensure that teachers comply with the order.
The concerned offices must prepare an Excel sheet containing each teacher’s name, appointment date, qualifications, minimum qualifications required at the time of appointment and merit score under the applicable government notification.
The documents and compiled information must then be forwarded to the concerned STF Range Office. The Director of Education will supervise the exercise, while the Additional Director General of Police, STF, will oversee verification and investigation.
UP Teacher Document Verification: Court Warns Officials Against Negligence
The High Court cautioned that any laxity or deliberate failure to perform official duties would be viewed seriously. Officials responsible for negligence could be held personally accountable.
The court also connected fraudulent appointments with concerns about the declining quality of primary education in Uttar Pradesh.
It observed that closing primary schools because of falling student numbers could not be explained only by a lack of resources. The quality of teaching and the performance of teachers were also important factors.
The bench stressed that a good teacher needs more than subject knowledge. Teaching ability, regular attendance, patience and fairness towards children are also essential.
Next Hearing
The matter has been listed for November 4. The authorities are expected to carry out the verification process in accordance with the court’s directions.
The exercise is intended to help establish whether teachers possess the required qualifications and were appointed through valid procedures. Further action will depend on the findings of the verification and investigation.
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FAQs
Teachers must submit legible copies of their appointment letters and relevant educational qualification certificates, including applicable High School, Intermediate, Graduation, B.Ed., B.T.C., D.El.Ed., B.El.Ed., TET or CTET documents, as required for their appointments.
The Allahabad High Court ordered the verification of teachers’ educational qualifications and appointment documents following allegations that some teachers had obtained government jobs using forged certificates or documents belonging to other people.
If an appointment is found to have been obtained through fraud, the authorities may cancel the appointment and order salary recovery wherever legally permissible. Disciplinary or penal action may also be taken against officials found to have helped or knowingly ignored fraudulent appointments.
