Edu Dept sacks 42 teachers

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 7

The Chandigarh Education Department has terminated the services of 42 teachers whose name surfaced in an FIR regarding a JBT teachers recruitment scam.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld the decision of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which had quashed the termination orders of junior basic training (JBT) teachers and trained graduate teachers (TGT) issued by the Administration in view of an alleged recruitment scam.

After the JBT recruitment scam was unearthed in 2016, services of these teachers, recruited under the TGT and JBT cadres in 2015, were terminated without any prior notice, following which they had moved CAT. The Education Department had to terminate the services of 1,073 teachers in May, 2018.

The orders released by the Director School Education on Friday read: “The Chandigarh Education Department had issued orders dated April 30, 2018, vide which the recruitment test held for junior basic training/trained graduate teachers in 2015 was cancelled and services of all JBT teachers /TGTs were dispensed with.”

“The orders dated May 30, 2018, were challenged in the Central Administrative Tribunal, Chandigarh, and stay was granted to these teachers. Therefore, they were continuing the service until a decision was taken regarding 28 original applications, which were allowed by the Central Administrative Tribunal vide order dated May 6, 2019,” read the order.

The Department challenged the order of CAT by filing Civil Writ Petitions in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The High Court held that the candidates writ petitions with respect to those whose names do not figure in the FIRs and against whom no evidence of wrongdoing has surfaced during the investigation are dismissed.

The Education Department stated that for the candidates whose names find mention in FIRs, the order dated May 30, 2018, cancelling their selection, is valid as there is evidence that their selection is tainted. Their termination comes to effect without any further requirement to issue any notice or follow the principles of natural justice.

Therefore, in compliance with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as many as 42 candidates stand relieved from the service with immediate effect, said the department.

The Education Department stated that for the candidates whose names find mention in FIRs, the order dated May 30, 2018, cancelling their selection, is valid as there is evidence that their selection is tainted. Their termination comes to effect without any requirement to issue any notice or follow the principles of natural justice.