Kolkata, May 15 -- The School Education Department relieved West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) secretary Priyadarshini Mallick from her post on May 14, hours after the Higher Secondary examination results were published.
An order issued by the department directed Mallick to return to her parent post of assistant professor at Asutosh College. She rejoined the college on Friday after completing release formalities at the council and the Directorate of Public Instruction.
The move followed a May 11 directive from the Home and Hill Affairs Department asking all departments to end the tenures of nominated members, directors and chairpersons of boards, organisations, non-statutory bodies and public sector undertakings, as well as officials serving on re-employment or on extension beyond the retirement age of 60. The School Education Department subsequently circulated the directive to several education bodies, including WBCHSE, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE), West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC), West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE), Paschim Banga Rajya Shishu Siksha Mission and the Rabindra Open Schooling Council, directing them to take necessary action and submit compliance reports.
Following the directive, WBBSE president Ramanuj Ganguly, board secretary Subrata Ghosh and WBSSC chairman Siddhartha Majumdar resigned on May 11.
Mallick and WBCHSE president Partha Karmakar, however, were allowed to continue till the publication of the Higher Secondary results on May 14 as their signatures had already been printed on marksheets and pass certificates. Mallick was relieved later that day after the results were announced. Sources in the education department said several heads of education-related bodies had either resigned or been removed following the May 11 directive. Among them were West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education president Abu Taher Kamruddin and WBBPE president Goutam Pal, who was also chairman of the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board.
Whether WBCHSE president Partha Karmakar has formally resigned could not be independently confirmed.
The School Education Department on Thursday also cancelled, with immediate effect, the nominations of all appointed presidents and persons interested in education serving on the managing committees of sponsored secondary schools across the state. District inspectors of schools were directed to appoint drawing and disbursing officers to ensure the smooth functioning of school administration.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.