24-05-2025
After Kushinagar sackings, UP begins scrutiny of 69k asst teacher recruitment
Following the dismissal of 20 assistant teachers in Kushinagar for using fake academic documents, the Uttar Pradesh education department has initiated a state-wide verification of appointments made under the 2018 Assistant Teacher Recruitment Examination (ATRE), officials said on Saturday. The dismissal, formalised through a government order issued on May 21, flagged discrepancies in the academic records of the teachers.
'We have written a letter to all 75 basic shiksha adhikaris (BSAs) of the state,' said Kanchan Verma, director general, school education, on Saturday. 'Kushinagar responded swiftly, resulting in cancellation of 20 appointments. Other districts have now been asked to begin verification.'
Verma said the eligibility criteria clearly required candidates to pass the qualifying exam in a single attempt. 'The teachers whose appointments were cancelled had cleared some papers through compartment exams or in second attempts, which makes them ineligible.'
'The appointments in question were part of the 69,000 assistant teacher recruitment drive notified on December 1, 2018,' BSA Kushinagar said. During a recent document check in Kushinagar, irregularities in academic records were found in multiple cases. Further examination confirmed that 20 candidates had submitted forged documents, said officials.
A department-level investigation has been launched, and similar checks are now underway in other districts. 'The process of document verification is on, and action will be taken wherever discrepancies are found,' Verma said.
Referring to previous court observations, she said the submission of fake documents cannot be treated as a clerical mistake and will invite strict departmental action.
Officials said the verification across districts will take time as thousands of appointments under the 2018 drive need to be reviewed.
