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Regional education board chairman Sukhdeo Dere suspended on disciplinary grounds
Principal Nandkumar has suspended the regional chairman of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Sukhdeo Dere on disciplinary grounds and alleged involvement in the Jalna paper scam.
The regional chairman of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Sukhdeo Dere has been suspended by the Principal secretary of school education department Nandkumar on disciplinary grounds.
The suspension order states that Dere was suspended for his role in alleged irregularities and prohibits him from living in the headquarters without the state’s permission. Meanwhile the education commissioner Purshattam Bhapkar has given additional charge as regional chairman to state director for education planning S K Ghonmode.
"While Dere was deputy director of education, he allegedly committed irregularities in granting approval to the teacher post allocation. An inquiry regarding this was carried out by state board regional chairman (Nashik) GB Jagtap," said a senior officer in the education department.
Another officer said one of the inquiry reports states that at least six educational institutes were given 25 retrospective approvals by allegedly "going out of the way".
In addition to this, teachers' associations had also lodged a complaint against Dere for the alleged irregularities. He faces charges of recruiting drivers when there were no vehicles with the department, and also for allegedly filling a post reserved for an SC candidate with an open candidate.
However, the strongest reason for his ouster comes from claims that his suspension maybe related to the HSC exam paper rewriting scam in Jalna.
According to Jalna police, 6 clerks, including a couple of them from the board's special cell, have been arrested for allegedly playing a key role in the entire scam.
"The HSC answer sheets rewriting scam has just acted as a trigger for his suspension. There have already been complaints and even inquiry reports blaming him for alleged irregularities, and the state education department is no mood to let things get worse," said an officer privy to the development.
Meanwhile, the teachers' associations celebrated Dere's suspension at the Aurangabad state board office by bursting crackers and distributing sweets.