CUTTACK: The seven-year-old PIL on appointment of teachers in various schools based on fake educational certificates is back in focus with the Orissa High Court on Wednesday seeking from the state government a status report on identification of such teachers by May 6.
The PIL was registered on the basis of a petition received from Sanjaya Kumar Maharana of Bhubaneswar in 2018. The petition had alleged that the teachers with fake certificates procured from Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan were working both in elementary and secondary level schools under the School and Mass Education department.
The petition had also alleged admission of non-existent students for misappropriating the mid-day meal scheme. The court issued the direction after Amicus Curiae Sudarshan Nanda placed before the court an affidavit filed by the state government in December 2024.
The affidavit indicated reports had been received from 27 of the 30 districts. Taking it on record, the division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice BP Routray said the affidavit revealed strict utilisation of mid-day meal funds and no receipt of report or complaint.
However, the other issue which is “serious in nature” pertains to securing the job of a teacher on the basis of fake certificate. As per the affidavit, 424 teachers have been identified who used fake certificate to secure appointment, and appropriate action has been taken for their removal from service, the bench stated.
Investigation is in process in six districts - Angul, Cuttack, Ganjam, Jharsuguda, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh - but no information has been divulged about their fate thereof. No information is furnished regarding the status of identification process in three districts - Bargarh, Keonjhar and Kendrapada - the bench said in the order.
Accordingly, the bench directed the state government to give a report on the outcome of investigation in six districts and status in the three districts from where no reports had been received. The matter has been scheduled to May 6 for next hearing along with the status report expected to be filed by the state government by then.