Following exposés by Ajmer Alam Wani of JK Monitor, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand directed the Director of School Education Jammu (DSE-J) to initiate an inquiry into the matter. Chief Education Officer Doda has been instructed to lead the investigation, with a report due within five days. The committee comprises members from various administrative backgrounds, tasked with interviewing teachers, students, and parents to ascertain the facts.
Initial investigations suggest a communication gap regarding fee instructions from the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) officials, potentially implicating a broader network within the education system. However, discrepancies emerge as DIET officials assert that a circular issued in September 2013 clearly stipulated examination fees of Rs. 110 per student.
Principal of DIET Doda, K.L. Parihar, confirmed the issuance of the circular, indicating a potential misinformation or deliberate concealment of facts by officials at various levels. The revelations have cast doubt on the integrity of the Education Department and its ability to administer fair and transparent practices.
Amid growing public resentment and calls for stringent action against the perpetrators, the inquiry faces scrutiny over its impartiality. The credibility of the investigation hinges on the integrity of the inquiry officers, with concerns raised about possible political or bureaucratic influence.
As the inquiry progresses, the Education Department must demonstrate accountability and restore public trust by ensuring a thorough and unbiased investigation into the fee overcharging scandal. Failure to address the issue effectively could fuel public unrest and further erode confidence in the education system.
Chief Education Officer Doda, said that 4 member committee has been constituted to inquire the matter with directions to submit the report within 5 days. The members of the committed are district Planning Officer Doda, Principal Ghat, Tehsildar Thathri, and Block Development Officer.
CEO Doda, said that the committee has been instructed to record the statements of teachers who have submitted the fees, of students who have paid the fees, their parents and other cross examination will be part of inquiry and after they submit a detailed report, if found guilty, a strong action will be recommended against the employees involved.
When asked about the preliminary investigation, CEO Doda indicated that there was a communication gap in passing the instructions from the DIET officials, which resulted in this all and over in all almost Education Zones of Doda district fees has been charged at the rate of Rs 150 per candidate.
But during the investigations by JK Monitor, the indications of the CEO Doda proved just a 'face saver' or perhaps the misleading information provided to the Chief Education Officer (CEO) by the subordinates and those involved in the nexus of fee overcharging.
The DIET officials refuted the claims and mentioned that after the meeting held at State Institute of Education (SIE) Jammu on 4/9 2013/, where in it was clearly directed to charge Rs 110 as examination fees from the students which includes Rs10 as registration fees, a circular was issued by the DIET Doda addressed to all ZEOs of the district and In-charge Middle School Exam under the office dispatch number 1035 on 5/9/2013.
Principal DIET Doda, K.L Parihar, confirmed to JK Monitor that after the meeting held at SIE Jammu, where in it was instructed to us to charge the examination fees for class 8th at Rs 110 per student, a circular was issued by the DIET Doda office and under office dispatch 1035 on 5/9/2013 was circulated to all ZEO's and In-charge Middle School Exam.
It clearly indicates that the Chief Education Officer Doda has been either kept in dark or misled by the deep rooted nexus in his own office and in ZEO offices of the district which is working for many years many of them on attachments, thus making the education in schools to suffer.
During the in-depth investigations it came to fore about many other scandals in which some staffers of CEO office and ZEO offices are involved and work mutually for years together to cause damage to the department, state exchequer and the image of officers, these disclosure will be brought into public step by step in days to come.
However, the 4 member committee has been constituted by the CEO, into the fees overcharging scam by ZEO office Thathri, but as the things are happening after the JK Monitor disclosure, everything possible is being put in practice to save the skin.
Sources who are watch the situation in offices revealed that going against the instructions and violating the laws, ZEO office charged Rs 180 per students which was confirmed by the JK Monitor during the investigation from scores of schools of the ZONE of which names of a few were mentioned in our previous story which sparked wide condemnation by the public against the office and even top leader of the state government employees union in a statement to condemned the practice and demanded strong action against the culprits, they employees in the office are making futile exercises to save themselves while bosses are trying their best to save the person who collected the fees from schools at the same type they are trying to make only him the scapegoat if can't be saved.
In a bid to save themselves, during inquiry and prove that they have not charged Rs 180 from the candidates through respective school in-charges, ZEO office in a biggest blunder of its own kinds have dig a deep hole for self as they started issuing receipts to the schools admitting that they have charged Rs 150 only from the school per candidate. These receipts are being issued. But the ZEO office Thathri has now struck in its own trap and if the inquiry is conducted impartial, culprits have to face strong action. Now the credibility of the inquiry officers is at state.
Local reports pouring in from different areas of the zone informed that resentment is growing in among the poor public against the department it is apprehended that if inquiry team succumbs to the possible political or bureaucratic affiliations, and submit the accused report (as it was investigated and proofs presented leaves no room for the culprits), the public can resort to mass agitation as this issue has touched every household as a matter of fact, a poor parent mostly labourer or farming class has been cheated for education of his child .
On the other hand accused is persuading to garner the support of employees' union leaders at the local and district level to but when the employees' union top leadership and their representative at the district level have already demanded strong action for such things.