In a far-reaching order aimed at cleaning up recruitment irregularities in the basic education system, the Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to conduct a statewide verification of assistant teacher appointments, warning that any appointment found to be based on forged documents must be cancelled and salaries recovered.
The court has given the state administration six months to complete the exercise and has also ordered strict action against officials found complicit or negligent in allowing illegal appointments to slip through.
The ruling came while dismissing a petition filed by Garima Singh of Deoria, who had challenged an order issued by the Basic Shiksha Adhikari Deoria cancelling her appointment as an assistant teacher.
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No compromise with children’s education
A single bench of Justice Manju Rani Chauhan made it clear that the education system cannot be allowed to suffer due to fraudulent appointments.
“The education imparted to children cannot be compromised,” the court observed, adding that administrative inaction and delay in dealing with forged appointments weakens the very foundation of the education system and harms students’ interests, which must remain paramount.
The court noted that despite repeated circulars and policy directions issued by the state government over the years, officers responsible for maintaining transparency in teacher recruitment have failed to act effectively and in time against such illegal appointments.
Petitioner’s appointment cancelled over forged documents
The case arose from the cancellation of Garima Singh’s appointment as an assistant teacher by the Deoria BSA in connection with a 2010 recruitment process. The BSA had annulled the appointment after finding that the petitioner’s educational qualifications and residential documents were forged.
Singh had argued that the cancellation order was arbitrary and illegal, claiming it was passed on the basis of a complaint made by a relative and without granting her a proper opportunity of hearing or following due process.
Rejecting these arguments, the court held that when documents are found to be forged, procedural objections cannot override the larger public interest, particularly in matters concerning school education.
Statewide verification ordered
Taking note of the wider implications of the case, the court directed the Principal Secretary Basic Education to initiate a comprehensive verification of assistant teacher appointments across the state.
The court ordered that:
- The entire verification process must be completed within six months
- Appointments found to be illegal or based on forged documents must be cancelled
- Salaries paid to such teachers must be recovered
- Officials involved in facilitating or ignoring illegal appointments must face disciplinary action
The court emphasised that recovery of salary is essential to ensure accountability and to prevent public funds from being misused.
Strong message to administration
The judgment sends a strong signal to the education bureaucracy, making it clear that mere cancellation of appointments is not sufficient and that financial accountability must also follow.
The court observed that allowing individuals to continue in service on the basis of fake documents not only amounts to fraud against the state but also denies deserving candidates their rightful opportunity.
It further noted that systemic failures and administrative laxity have allowed such irregularities to persist, despite repeated government instructions meant to improve transparency in recruitment.
Broader impact expected
Legal experts say the ruling could have wide-ranging consequences for thousands of assistant teacher appointments made over the last decade, particularly those under scrutiny for document irregularities.
Education department officials are expected to issue fresh instructions to district-level authorities to begin the verification exercise, while teacher associations are closely watching how the state implements the court’s directions.
The High Court made it clear that education is a public trust, and any dilution of standards through fraudulent appointments will invite zero tolerance.
With a firm deadline now in place, the onus lies on the state government to demonstrate that clean recruitment and accountability are more than just policy slogans.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
