Education department asks schools to report on teachers having bogus degrees

The education department recently issued a circular to all south zone schools, asking authorities to verify their teachers' qualification certificates. The department wants degrees of those teachers who have got their qualification from universities outside Maharashtra checked.

The Teachers Democratic Front (TDF) had filed a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court against teachers who have secured jobs on bogus certificates.

Deputy director of school education BB Chavan said, "I was there to attend the hearing in HC. The court asked the data of such teachers from the organisation. Hence, we too issued a circular asking for the same information. If any teachers are found to have secured the job using bogus certificates, we have asked principals to send a report on them to the department."

TDF vice president Rajesh Pandya, however, said, "Our organisation has already presented details of teachers who have bogus degrees and are working in aided schools of state. But the education department is not taking action on it."