On the first day of the Gujarat assembly’s three-day monsoon session on Wednesday, the government informed the house that in the past three years, 134 teachers were dismissed for unauthorised leaves.
State Education Minister Kuber Dindor told the House that a total of 134 teachers of government-run and grant-in-aid schools were sacked between 2019 and 2022, while the services of 16 others were terminated for unauthorisedly skipping work.
Congress MLA Kanti Kharadi from Danta seat in Banaskantha district sought to know the number of schoolteachers from Patan and Banaskantha districts getting salaries despite living abroad.
He also wanted to know the action taken against such teachers, who continue to remain on the government’s payroll. Kharadi cited the example of one Bhavnaben Patel, a teacher from Panchha Primary School in Danta taluka of Banaskantha district.
Recently, the state education department ordered an inquiry over allegations that Patel was on the payroll despite settling in the US and remaining absent from duty for nearly eight years.
In his response, Dindor said Bhavnaben Patel has been dismissed from service after an inquiry report established that she had been on unauthorised leave since January this year.
While 12 teachers in Banaskantha and seven from Patan have been on unauthorised leave for over six months, they have not been paid any salary for this period, said Dindor.
“Of these, six were sacked on Tuesday (including Patel), while two teachers have sent their resignation, which has been approved by us,” said the minister.
In the current year, the government has taken action against 130 teachers, including 70 who were absent for three months or more in 2023-24 to 2024-25 and 60 who were absent due to foreign tours, he said.
The minister said 10 teachers have been dismissed and the rest will face similar action as per the rules.
He said attendance of school teachers is monitored online through Vidya Samiksha Kendra in Gandhinagar and appropriate steps are being taken against erring teachers as per rules.
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