Bihar education department to initiate strict action against govt teachers taking private tuition

PATNA: The Bihar Education Department has decided to initiate strict action against government teachers taking private tuition. Education Department Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) K K Pathak, in a letter to district magistrates on Monday, asked them to take written undertakings from all private coaching centres under their jurisdiction that "no government school teachers will take classes in their institutions".

"The department has been receiving complaints that certain government school teachers were taking classes in private coaching institutes in their respective areas of postings. This practice needs to be checked immediately," the letter read. A senior official of the education department, on condition of anonymity, said that even after the undertakings, if the teachers are found indulging in such practices, strict departmental action will be taken against them and legal action will be initiated against the erring private coaching institutes as well.

The department has also asked all district education officers in the state to provide details of such teachers to the headquarters on a priority basis. "As per the schedule, the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) practical and theory exams 2024 will begin from January 10 for both classes 10 and 12 across the state. Therefore, officials concerned are advised to ensure presence of all teachers in their schools where they are posted," the letter read. "There is a need to check granting leave to teachers during board examinations. Officials need to ensure that in any case not more than 10 per cent of total teachers posted in a school go on leave during board exams at a time," it added.

According to a latest report, compiled by the education department, there are a total of 12,761 registered private coaching institutes in the state, with 9,95,533 students enrolled in these centres. State capital Patna has the maximum number of 1,017 centres, with 1,51,104 students enrolled in these institutes, followed by 60,311 in 636 institutes in Begusarai and 44,975 in 623 centres in Gaya. Jehanabad has the lowest number of registered coaching institutes in the district at 40, with only 6,115 students enrolled in these centres.

Despite repeated attempts by PTI, Education Minister Chandra Shekhar was not available for comments on the issue. The state education department has come out with a slew of stringent measures to infuse diligence in its officials. These included directions to DMs to ensure inspection of all schools at least twice a week and immediate deduction of a day's salary for absentee teachers. The monitoring has started from July 1 last year.