PATNA: In a gesture beaming with incorruptibility, a college teacher in Bihar has returned his accumulated salary worth nearly Rs 24 lakh to the university as the students were not attending classes due to the pandemic since he joined the college in 2019.
Dr Lalan Kumar, an assistant professor of Hindi at Nitishwar College under Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University (BRABU) in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district sent a cheque along with a leter to the university vice-chancellor saying that "it would not be morally correct to accept the salary."
“Why should I accept salary when I have not taught the students enrolled in the department,” the teacher remarked while setting new benchmarks for honesty and integrity.
In his letter to the university’s vice-chancellor, the professor said, “None of the 131 students has attended my class. For me it is like an ‘academic death’. I am not able to discharge my duties despite my best intention. In such a situation, it would not be morally correct to accept the salary.”
In the letter, Kumar expressed his desire to transfer him to any of these colleges- LS College, RDS College, MDDM College or the PG department of the university.
Besides the vice-chancellor, he has sent copies of his letter to the chancellor (governor), chief minister, state education minister, state finance department, Patna High Court (in form of PIL), chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC), union education minister, PMO, President and other dignitaries and high offices.
Dr Kumar graduated from Delhi University while completing his post-graduation from JNU. He did his M.Phil. and PhD from Delhi University.
It may be recalled that former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had honoured Dr Kumar with Academic Excellence Award for passing his graduation examination from Hindu College in the first division.
Commenting on the Hindi teacher's decision to return money to the government, a retired teacher of L N Mithila University professor Vashishtha Singh said, “Dr. Kumar has exposed the government's education system.” “It's virtually a slap on the education system prevailing in colleges and universities in Bihar,” he added.