‘Saven Thursday’ cheque fallout: Drawing teacher suspended, dept mulls action against Principal

The viral “Saven Thursday Six Harendra Sixty” cheque from Government Senior Secondary School, Ronhat of Sirmaur district, has finally led to official action. The Directorate of School Education, Himachal Pradesh, has suspended the Drawing Teacher, Atter Singh, after he confessed in writing to having filled the cheque that brought national embarrassment to the state’s education system.

Deputy Director of School Education (Elementary), Sirmaur, Rajeev Thakur confirmed the development, stating that Atter Singh admitted to writing the cheque “due to distraction of mind.” “He confessed in writing that the cheque was filled by him carelessly, which resulted in damage to the image of the government and the Department of Education. Hence, he has been placed under suspension. His headquarters during the suspension will remain fixed at Government Senior Secondary School, Haripurdhar,” Thakur said.

The cheque amounting to Rs 7,616 was issued under the PM Poshan Scheme on September 25. The spelling errors, written as “Saven Thursday Six Harendra Sixty Rupees Only” turned the cheque into a viral sensation, sparking public ridicule and exposing serious lapses in administrative diligence.

The Directorate of School Education, Shimla, noted that the matter had drawn “unwarranted national attention” and “tarnished the image of the Department.” Both the Principal and Drawing Teacher of GSSS Ronhat were summoned to the Directorate in Shimla today, where they were asked to explain the circumstances behind the blunder.

During the personal hearing, Atter admitted to having made the mistake inadvertently, but the explanation was not accepted by the Director of School Education, Ashish Kohli. Taking a stern view, the Directorate directed the Deputy Director of Sirmaur to suspend the concerned teacher and initiate disciplinary proceedings under Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1965.

The Directorate further revealed that action against the Principal, Kuldeep Singh, being the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) and supervisory authority, is also under consideration.

Director of School Education (Elementary), Shimla, Ashish Kohli stated that the department would not tolerate such negligence in the future. “The Department is committed to uphold administrative discipline, financial propriety, and institutional integrity across all educational establishments in the state. Any act of carelessness or disregard that tarnishes the image of the Department will invite strict disciplinary action,” he said.