UP school principal suspended after video shows students served mid-day meal in hands

Ballia (UP): The officiating principal of a government school here has been suspended and proceedings initiated to terminate the services of a contractual instructor after a video showing students being served rotis and vegetables directly in their hands instead of on plates went viral on social media, officials said on Wednesday. District Basic Education Officer Manish Kumar Singh said the video, which surfaced on social media on July 31, was purportedly from the Composite School in Palia village under the Siyar education block.

A preliminary inquiry found that the incident had taken place on April 20 and that the video was recorded on the mobile phone of contractual instructor Nirmala Bharti with the alleged intention of blackmailing the school's officiating principal, Kiran Devi, Singh said. The inquiry found that the teachers, instructors and the Shiksha Mitra posted at the school failed to discharge their official responsibilities, he said.

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Based on the findings, Devi was suspended with immediate effect on Tuesday on charges of gross negligence, lack of effective leadership and failure to report the incident to senior departmental authorities, the officer said. A departmental inquiry has been ordered into the matter, with Block Education Officer of Navanagar, Pankaj Kumar Singh, appointed as the inquiry officer.

He has been directed to submit a fact-based report within 15 days, Singh said. He added that a Shiksha Mitra, Indrajeet Yadav, another instructor, Rita Devi, and four cooks have been issued strict warnings in connection with the incident. Proceedings have also been initiated to terminate the contractual appointment of instructor Bharti, Singh said.