Ineligible teacher completes 30 years of govt service, retires

KOTKAPURA: It is a classic case of things moving at snail''s pace in education department. A woman, who was ineligible for the post of home science mistress joined service in education department at Kotkapura way back in 1972, completed her service and got superannuation last year with all post-service benefits.
Interestingly, now the department authorities have woken up from deep slumber to seek action against her.The circle education officer (CEO), Faridkot has written to the director, education department (secondary) Punjab for recovering all the pecuniary benefits received by Suprbha Gupta, the teacher, during her 30 years of service.
It is not that the matter was not in the notice of the department during these years. Immediately after Suprbha joined as a teacher in 1972, the education department had received a complaint against her from one Ram Chand, a local resident, challenging her appointment.
Though Ram Chand kept pursuing the matter with the higher authorities during the last three decades but the political influence of the teacher''s husband allegedly helped her in saving the job.
Even in 1994, Nabha circle education officer Manjeet Singh Chahal had indicted the teacher for securing the job without eligibility and recommended her dismissal from service but the things remained unchanged.
Now when it is too late, another inquiry by CEO Faridkot Jaskartar Singh has again established Suprbha''s appointment as illegal and sought action as well as return of all amount she withdrew as salary and other benefits during her service period.
In his inquiry report, the CEO revealed that though the complaint of Ram Chand was of self-explanatory nature and the action against the teacher should have been taken long back but it was her husband''s influence that the complaint kept gathering dust for years.
Hargobind Rai, husband of Suprbha, who also retired as a government teacher and runs a finance company here, denied the allegations of her wife being an ineligible candidate for the post.
He alleged that the inquiry report was an outcome of his personal rivalry with some education department officials who were trying to tarnish his image.