BERHAMPUR: The process of document verification of 455 teachers out of 2,000 in Gajapati district, has been put on hold.
The teachers had submitted Bachelor in Education (B Ed) certificates from universities outside Odisha.
District Education Officer, Gajapati Pradip Kumar Nag said, as per a directive issued by the School and Mass Education department, the process of verifying certificates of teachers is being carried out to ensure transparency in recruitment and promotion.
There are 84 teachers in Gosani block, 62 in Gumma, 43 in Kasinagar, 62 in Rayagada, 37 in Nuagada, 54 each in Ramgiri and Udayagiri and 113 in Mohana whose B Ed certificates have been put on hold.
Nag said the authorities of universities, which had issued the certificates to these teachers, are being contacted to ascertain their authenticity.
“If the certificates are found to be fake, stringent action will be taken against the teachers concerned,” he said.
If required, officials from the district will be sent to the universities to ascertain the genuineness of the certificates. In the first phase, educational certificates of the teachers are being verified.
Subsequently, their residential certificates will be examined. The drive is being carried out for teachers whose services were regularised on January 1, 2011.
Amid allegations of submission of fake documents by some teachers during recruitment, the School and Mass Education department had directed the Director of Elementary Education, Odisha and District Education Officers to verify the certificates and complete the process by September 30.