Substitute teacher in 49th year of service
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 28, 2011: A substitute teacher recruited to replace another teacher, who went for Basic Training Course (BTC) for two years is now serving for 49 years enjoying all the benefits entitled to a regular teacher.

A source in Education (S) Department identified the substitute teacher as one Shanti Maring of Narum village under Tengnoupal Block of Chandel district.

She was recruited to Ayapurel Govt Junior High School located at Narum village on July 10, 1972 as a substitute teacher.

Shanti Maring�s service should be terminated once the Primary teacher who went to do a two year course of BTC at Imphal returned to the school.

But the regular teacher never came back to Ayapurel Govt Junior High School.

The teacher was transferred and given posting at some other place.

On the other hand, Shanti Maring is still awaiting return of the teacher who went to do BTC.

As a rule, there would be no annual increment to the salaries of a substitute teacher.

They are also not allowed to open GPF accounts.

They are entitled only the salaries received by the teachers for whom they are working as substitutes.

It is reported that Shanti Maring lost all her service related documents during the Naga-Kuki ethnic clash of early 1990�s. Though Shanti Maring is still working in the same school, the Govt stopped paying salaries to her.

Subsequently, she filed a complaint at Gauhati High Court.

After hearing Shanti Maring�s complaint, the High Court has directed the State Govt to pay all due salaries, if she is still in service.

Consequent upon the High Court directive, Education (S) Department conducted a departmental enquiry over Shanti Maring.

Shanti Maring�s service book and sanction orders for withdrawal of GPF were found in the course of the enquiry though Shanti entered service as a substitute teacher.

What is rather surprising is that Deputy Inspector of Schools recommended to the Deputy Director of Education (S) to regularise Shanti�s service on July 13, 1997.But regularisation of any service need to be done after holding a DPC.

Shanti produced a forged notification issued by the Deputy Director claiming that her service had been regularised.

The forged notification produced by Shanti during the departmental enquiry did not have any signature.

Based on the forged document, the then Education (S) Director M Harekrishna issued an order on March 28, 2009 to release Shanti Maring�s salaries and arrears from July 2005 to March 2009. Authorised by the order, Shanti withdrew around Rs 9 lakhs as salaries and arrears of the said period, conveyed the source.

Though Shanti Maring�s service was certified as genuine after the departmental enquiry, her name was absent in the staff list of Ayapurel Govt Jr High School furnished by the ZEO Chandel.

Her name is not included in the Manipur Govt Employees� List too, added the source.

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