Rajasthan govt sacks state school board chairman in REET 2021 paper leak case

JAIPUR: The Ashok Gehlot government on Saturday sacked the chairman of Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education, Ajmer, D P Jaroli, in connection with the paper leak during the teachers' recruitment exam, Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) in September. The suspension order of the Board secretary Arvind Kumar Sengwa, an RAS officer, was also issued by the department of personnel.

The development came after a high-level meeting chaired by chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday night. Irregularities occurred in the conduct of REET 2021 in September leading to protests. The opposition BJP has been demanding a CBI inquiry in the matter. Gehlot in the meeting on Friday night also decided to constitute a committee headed by a retired judge of the high court to give suggestions for ensuring that papers leak incidents do not take place and exams are conducted in a fair manner, official sources said.

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Education minister BD Kalla, minister of state for home Rajendra Singh Yadav and senior officers were present in the meeting. The special operation group (SOG) has arrested several persons in the case. It recently arrested Ramkripal Meena and Udaram Vishnoi.

Meena was employed by the district coordinator for the purpose of security of papers at Shiksha Sankul in Jaipur. Shiksha Sankul is a building where the offices of the education department are located. Meena allegedly stole the paper from Shiksha Sankul and gave it to Udaram Vishnoi who is accused of circulating the paper. After it was confirmed that the paper was leaked from Shiksha Sankul, the role of the board chairman, secretary, and other officers came under the scanner.

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When the irregularities in the conduct of exams had emerged in September, the state government had suspended one RAS and two RPS officers, 13 personnel of the education department, and three other policemen.