 "Five state-level teaching 'job scams' that shattered youth aspirations")
In light of the recent ruling by the Calcutta High Court, which invalidated over 25,000 job appointments in West Bengal, it is essential to shine a spotlight on similar alleged ‘job sale business’ scams that have plagued the nation.
From deceitful recruitment procedures to compromised selection standards, job seekers from various states have been caught in the trp by deceptive practices. Here, we list five alleged teaching job placement ‘scams’ that have come to light in recent years from five states pushing youths into an abyss of utter hopelessness screaming and searching for an ever-elusive justice.
1. Odisha Teacher Recruitment Row
Amid ongoing legal proceedings, it has been alleged that certain individuals circulated fake advertisements on bogus websites and local newspapers across different states, offering lucrative job opportunities. Under the guise of application fees, they swindled Rs 1000 from each applicant, duping job seekers nationwide of crores of rupees. Investigations revealed a staggering Rs 60 lakh was illicitly obtained, with funds funneled into the account of the accused AV Chaitanya. Operating from Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, this racket extended its reach across six states, including Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Following the uncovering of this alleged scam in early 2024, Odisha’s Economic Offense Wing has made multiple arrests.
2. Karnataka Teacher Recruitment Scam
In October 2022, the state’s crime investigation department conducted raids at 51 locations, apprehending several teachers implicated in irregularities during the 2012-13 and 2014-15 recruitment cycles. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of 61 teachers, two directors, three retired assistant directors, a first-class assistant, and a computer programmer associated with the education department. The alleged ‘scam’ came to light following independent police complaints filed by victims in August and September 2022.
3. UP Teacher Recruitment Scam
Amid the 2019 UP Assembly elections fervor, the state government announced a recruitment drive for 69,000 Assistant Teacher positions. However, discrepancies emerged during result announcements in May 2019, as reserved category candidates were allocated a disproportionately low number of seats. Following inquiries by the National Commission for Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC), discrepancies were identified, prompting CM Yogi Adityanath to initiate a review in April 2021. Subsequent legal proceedings saw the Allahabad High Court ordering the annulment of the initial list due to irregularities in reservation administration.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts4. Tripura’s ‘Unconstitutional’ Recruitment of Teachers
Litigation at the High Court of Tripura led to the termination of 10,323 school teachers hired since 2010, deeming the recruitment process ‘unconstitutional.’ The HC also asked the Tripura government to formulate a new employment policy while cancelling the exhisting one. Later, the Supreme Court upheld this verdict in March 2017. The outcry from the sacked teachers came in protests against the discontinuation of their employment. At present, there are promises being made of ‘alternative employment’ for these ill-fated individuals.
5. Bihar BPSC Teacher Recruitment Scam
Arrests were made in early 2024 after a teacher fraudulently obtained a job in a government primary school in Bihar’s Begusarai. An investigation was triggered when discrepancies were discovered during document verification, revealing a mismatch between the teacher’s photo and the candidate who appeared for the examination. Allegations of corrupt practices surfaced prior to these recruitments, with thousands of BPSC candidates protesting against discrepancies in the recruitment process and alleging the involvement of money in the selection process. Opposition leaders claimed that over 1.2 lakh teacher recruitments were marred by similar irregularities.
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