Government may appoint education board chairman soon: Thakur
The Himachal Pradesh Government may soon appoint a new chairman for the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBOSE), with the post remaining vacant for over two years. At present, Hemraj Bairwa, District Magistrate, Kangra, stationed in Dharamsala, is serving as the officiating chairman of the board.
In a recent development, eight new members were inducted into the board last week, in addition to the existing ex-officio members. As such, the quorum of the board is now complete.
Among the new members is the Congress MLA Ashish Butail from Palampur Assembly constituency, who previously served as the chief parliamentary secretary for the Department of School Education. Two other Congress MLAs Neeraj Nayyar from Chamba Assembly constituency and Chandra Shekhar from Nurpur Assembly constituency have also been nominated as members of the education board.
Other members of the board include Anil Thakur, Principal of Government College, Nurpur, Kriti Rohta, Principal of Roots School, Kotkhai (Shimla), Kewal Ram, Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Bhattakufar, Rakhi Pandit, Principal of Government Middle School, Portmore (Shimla), and Dr Ram Lal Sharma, principal (retd) of a college.
Sources in the ruling Congress revealed that Ashish Butail was in race for the chairman’s post. While talking to The Tribune, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said the government might nominate the chairman from board members or from outside. He said, “It is the prerogative of the state government. The post will be filled up soon.” Meanwhile, education board secretary Dr (Major) Vishal Sharma said, “I have called a meeting of the board members on May 31. I am preparing agenda for the meeting.”
As per Section 18 of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education Act, 1968, the government will nominate or appoint a person as chairman of the board from amongst eminent educationists or administrators. The appointment would be done on such terms and conditions and for such period as may be prescribed by the state government.
As per Section 20, the ex-officio vice-chairman of the board is the Director of Education, Himachal Pradesh. He/she will assist the chairman in all matters, administrative and academic; discharge such duties and exercise such powers as may be delegated to him by the chairman and shall in the latter’s absence exercise all powers of the chairman.
However, contrary to the provisions of this section of the Act, instead of asking the Director of Education to officiate as chairman, the state government ordered the Kangra District Magistrate to officiate on this post even as the board was in existence with the presence of ex-officio members — the Secretary (Education), Secretary (Finance), Vice Chancellors or nominees of state universities, Director of Education, Director of Primary Education, Director-cum-Principal of a medical college, Director of Technical Education and Principal of the Regional Engineering College, Hamirpur. These ex-officio members are permanent in nature. The members other than these ex-officio members were appointed by the state government on Thursday.
