Patna: A teacher from Kendriya Vidyalaya in Jehanabad, Bihar, was suspended on Wednesday after a video of her making derogatory remarks about the state went viral on social media, provoking widespread outrage.
The teacher, identified as Deepali, expressed her frustration regarding her assignment to Jehanabad, stating that she would prefer to be posted anywhere in India except Bihar, citing places like West Bengal, South Indian states, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, and Ladakh as her preferred alternatives.
Her disrespectful comments drew strong condemnation from local residents and officials, leading to swift action from the district administration. The Deputy Commissioner of the Central School Organisation in Patna enacted Section 10 of the 1965 Central Civil Services Act to suspend her immediately. During her suspension, she is required to report to the Central School headquarters in the Masrakh block of Saran district and cannot leave without permission from the school principal.
The principal of the Jehanabad school distanced himself from the incident, referring to it as a personal issue of the teacher. The incident has raised significant concern, underscoring the serious implications of misconduct on social media.
Political leaders have also weighed in, with some calling for harsher penalties for the teacher. Samastipur MP Shambhavi Choudhary wrote to the Kendriya Vidyalaya Commissioner, advocating for stringent action, and confirmed via social media that the teacher had been suspended, describing her language as unacceptable.
Former MLA Rahul Sharma has taken a more aggressive stance, urging Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to permanently remove the teacher. He expressed that such attitudes undermine societal norms and could adversely affect students’ futures, advocating for strict measures to prevent individuals like her from remaining in educational roles.
The incident has sparked significant outrage throughout Bihar, with calls for more severe disciplinary actions than just suspension, putting pressure on the Bihar administration and Kendriya Vidyalaya officials to reconsider the disciplinary approach.