Haryana school row: Gaibipur Sarpanch suspended amid ‘Fix the Schools’ campaign

August 22, 2026

Hisar: The controversy over the poor condition of government schools and shortage of teachers in Haryana intensified on Saturday after Hisar Deputy Commissioner Mahendra Pal suspended Gaibipur village Sarpanch Pawan Kumar with immediate effect.

The action came a day after villagers in Gaibipur locked the main gate of the government school over an acute shortage of teachers during the ongoing ‘Fix the Schools’ campaign led by the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ (CJP).

However, the suspension order cites alleged irregularities in village development works and the Sarpanch’s failure to respond to show-cause notices as the official grounds for the action.

Gaibipur villagers raise teacher shortage

On Friday, villagers had locked the main gate of the government school in Gaibipur, demanding action over the shortage of teaching staff.

The gate was opened after Block Education Officer (BEO) Zile Singh and village Sarpanch Pawan Mehta assured the villagers that their concerns would be addressed.

Villagers said the primary school has 361 students but only three teachers, against a requirement of 14 teachers.

They claimed that around one-and-a-half months ago, the school had 14 teachers, but the number has since fallen to three.

One of the three teachers, Hemdatt, has been assigned Booth Level Officer (BLO) duties, leaving only two teachers to handle classroom teaching and other responsibilities.

Villagers also raised concerns over teachers being required to manage tasks related to the mid-day meal, among other duties.

They said repeated representations to the authorities had not resulted in any action and gave the administration three days to address the shortage.

Sarpanch denies role in school dispute

Pawan Kumar has denied having any role in the school-related controversy.

“I had no role in the school-related issue. There was an ongoing dispute involving some Panchs (village council members), but I am not at fault,” he said.

The timing of the suspension, coming a day after the school protest, has raised questions locally. However, the administration’s order refers to an earlier inquiry into alleged irregularities in village development works.

What does the suspension order say?

According to the district administration, an inquiry conducted by the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), Barwala, substantiated allegations of irregularities in development works carried out in the village.

The Deputy Commissioner’s office subsequently issued show-cause notices to the Sarpanch on October 27, 2025, and February 26, 2026.

The administration said the Sarpanch was required to submit his response within seven days but failed to do so even after several months.

The suspension order was issued under Section 51(1)(b) of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994.

Under Section 51(2), the Sarpanch has also been barred from participating in future Panchayat activities. Orders have been issued for the Gram Panchayat’s records, funds and assets to be handed over to the Panch member commanding a majority.

Hansi, Bhiwani administrations tighten school rules

The developments have also prompted action by the administrations in Hansi and Bhiwani.

The Hansi Deputy Commissioner has directed District Education Officers and Block Education Officers to strictly prevent the entry of outsiders and unauthorised persons into government schools to ensure that academic activities are not disrupted.

The Bhiwani administration has separately directed schools not to conduct classes in dilapidated or unsafe rooms and has sought reports on such rooms.

The latest developments come amid growing concerns over infrastructure and teacher shortages in government schools in parts of Haryana, with the ‘Fix the Schools’ campaign bringing the issue into sharper public focus.