Urge to review SSC appointment

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 19 JAN: The district inspector of school (secondary) in Malda, Mr Chinmay Sarkar, has urged the chairman, school service commission, northern region, to verify the candidature of Mr Kanti Ray, who joined as the Malda Academy’s headmaster following an SSC recommendation.

According to Mr Sarkar, the decision for verification was taken following a complaint against Mr Ray’s educational qualification and degree. Mr Ray is currently working as a headmaster on provisional approval from the DI.

The secretary of the SSC, northern region, Mr Joydeb Saha said: “We shall send the DI’s letter to the chairman of the Central SSC for the next course of action”.

Mr Ray allegedly completed Masters Degree in Physics in regular course from B N Manda University in Madhepura, Bihar, while working as assistant teacher of Madhabnagar Badalmoni High School in English Bazaar town.

The managing committee of the Malda Academy in English Bazaar town and also the district education officials detected anomalies in the certificate, mark sheet and other papers related to his MSc degree obtained from BN Mandal University.

The school authority has questioned how Mr Ray secured an M Sc degree through a regular course from Bihar while working as an assistant teacher in a school and drew his salary regularly for two years.

Primary investigation revealed that the secretary of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, Mr A Chatterjee had directed the secretary of the Badalmoni High School to grant leave to Mr Ray for appearing in the M Sc exam in Physics in 1993, with effect from 14 November in 1994 to 20 December 1994.

A standing order of the state government says that certificates of degree for post graduate courses or bachelor of education and others obtained from the B N Mandal University between 1987 and 1996 would be accepted after detail verification and clearance from the Cabinet Vigilance Department of Bihar.

“We have nothing to do now when the SSC has recommended his name as headmaster. We suspect about the certificate obtained from the B N Mandal University. So we have urged the chairman, SSC to authenticate his candidature, particularly M Sc degree seeking clarification from the Cabinet Vigilance Department of Bihar”, said the DI Mr Chinmay Sarkar.

“It is questionable how an assistant teacher, working in a school regularly, can complete M SC in Physics without being granted leave for at least two years”, Mr Sarkar added.

The headmaster in question Mr Kanti Ray said in defence: “I can not understand how and why the managing committee of my school raised the question and suspects my M Sc degree when the SSC has recommended me”.