By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Approximately 4,000 teachers in Bihar are at risk of losing their jobs following an investigation that revealed serious credential discrepancies. It was found that 80% of these teachers scored below the required 60% in the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET), while 20% possess fraudulent certificates, including disability, caste, residence, and sports certificates. The Bihar government is now preparing to take disciplinary action, including recovering salaries from teachers found to have used fake documentation.
In total, the jobs of around 24,000 teachers are under threat, as further investigations have uncovered multiple fake certificates among their records. A second round of verification is planned, and any teacher whose certificates cannot be authenticated will face dismissal and legal action. Already, 96 teachers were found to have used fake mark sheets during the initial stage of counselling, and legal proceedings have been initiated against them.
Over 3,000 Teachers Absent from Counselling
Counselling for 1.87 lakh candidates who passed the competency test was conducted between 1 August and 13 September. However, 42,000 teachers were unable to attend for various reasons, and over 3,000 were marked absent. Biometric verification could not be completed for over 10,000 of the 42,000 teachers. A further opportunity for counselling will be offered after Chhath for those who missed it.
Fake Certificates Found in Sitamarhi
In Sitamarhi district, seven teachers were found to have submitted fake certificates, with cases of forgery, concealment of evidence, and related offences registered against them. Among the seven, five are women. The teachers were asked to present their original documents by the District Education Officer, but despite repeated requests, they failed to comply. Consequently, their certificates were verified by the Education Department, which confirmed that several mark sheets and caste and residence certificates were fraudulent.
University Verification Underway for Suspicious Certificates
Teachers who have passed the competency examination have completed counselling, but those with suspicious mark sheets are now under further scrutiny. The education department has sent these documents to the respective universities for verification, and the teachers’ experience certificates will also be validated by the relevant administrative officers.
Verification Procedures Following Teacher Transfers
After recent teacher transfers and postings, additional verifications will be conducted. This process includes checking mark sheets, photos, residence and caste certificates, Aadhaar card details using biometric authentication, and thumb impressions. These records will be documented in each teacher’s service book and, once digitised, will be made available online for easy verification by the appropriate officials.
Read more
