Ongoing Fake Marksheet Scandal under the Guise of Investigation DEO's Investigation was Merely a Show; No Action Taken against the Guilty Teacher Even After a Year Demotion Instead of FIR Wage Recovery Action Limited to Notice, No Criminal Case Registered

 Ongoing Fake Marksheet Scandal under the Guise of Investigation DEO's Investigation was Merely a Show; No Action Taken against the Guilty Teacher Even After a Year

Demotion Instead of FIR Wage Recovery Action Limited to Notice, No Criminal Case Registered

Dhimarkheda | In the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Barhi, under the Badwara development block of the district, a teacher named Meena Kori secured a promotion by submitting a fake marksheet. A complaint regarding this was made to the department, following which the department initiated an investigation through the concerned university. The university confirmed that the marksheet was fake. The education department also acknowledges this, but the authorities are passing the responsibility of filing a case against the teacher to each other. It is noteworthy that to secure a promotion from primary teacher to secondary teacher, the teacher unlawfully used a fraudulent marksheet. Once the marksheet was found to be fake, Meena Kori was demoted and posted as a primary teacher at the same Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Barhi. A year ago, the department wrote to the Joint Director of Public Education, seeking permission for wage recovery, departmental inquiry, and the registration of a criminal case against Meena Kori. However, to date, no permission has been granted by the Joint Director to file a case against the teacher who submitted the fake marksheet.

*Incomprehensible Administrative Functioning*

After the marksheet was found to be fake, the teacher's promotion was canceled, and she was returned to her original position. However, no case was registered against her, and the matter was shelved. The attitude of the Katni District Education Officer (DEO) in this case is perplexing, as is the negligent approach of the higher education authorities in Jabalpur. Accountability is being shifted from one official to another, which is not right. Despite the university's certification that the marksheet submitted by the teacher was fake, the failure to register a case reflects gross negligence on the part of the department.

*Issuance of Chargesheet Forgotten by the Department*

The District Education Officer issued a chargesheet on October 17, 2023, ordering teacher Meena Kori to respond within ten days. Despite this, no action has been taken against the teacher to date. The chargesheet mentioned that Meena Kori used a fabricated marksheet from 2010 to secure a promotion, as confirmed by a letter from Awadhesh Pratap Singh University, Rewa. The university's letter stated that the marksheet with Roll Number 2362, in the name of Meena Kori, did not match the records, indicating that the marksheet was forged. Additionally, the chargesheet noted that the act of receiving a higher position's salary using a forged marksheet falls under misconduct and financial irregularities according to the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965. A departmental inquiry was instituted, but no criminal case has been registered against the teacher who committed this criminal act. This is not the first instance of such negligence by the department, as many similar cases have come to light in the past.

*DEO's Efforts to Protect the Guilty Teacher*

For the past year, the District Education Officer has been claiming to investigate the matter, but the results of this investigation have yet to be revealed. Although the former Collector Avi Prasad had taken cognizance of the issue and directed strict action, the DEO's investigation has been minimal. The university confirmed that the marksheet submitted by the teacher was not issued by them, indicating that the teacher used forged documents to gain illegal benefits and promotion, which she successfully achieved. By committing this act, the teacher not only caused financial loss to the government but also engaged in criminal activity. Despite this, the lax attitude of the Katni DEO in handling this case is evident. Similar cases of gross negligence by the DEO have been observed in the past as well.

*Complainant Forced to Seek Court Intervention*

The complainant had approached the District Education Officer and other authorities with the issue of the teacher Meena Kori securing a promotion using a fake marksheet. The university was asked to verify the marksheet, and it was found to be fake. Following this, the department cunningly demoted the guilty teacher but neither suspended her nor registered a criminal case against her. When the matter made headlines, only then did the former Collector direct the issuance of a chargesheet, but no further action has been taken to date. The complainant has expressed frustration over the prolonged delay and lack of stern action against the teacher. Due to the negligence of the authorities, the complainant plans to file a writ petition in the Jabalpur High Court, naming the Katni Collector, the District Education Officer, and the department head as necessary parties.