The Bihar Education Department is once again receiving flak, but this time, the reason might just make you chuckle or rather leave you judging the loopholes within the state administration.
An absurd incident has surfaced involving a male BPSC (Bihar Public Service Commission) teacher who was mistakenly declared pregnant and granted maternity leave in the Vaishali district, reported the Economic Times.
Male teacher granted leave for being "pregnant"
The unusual event occurred at Hasanpur Osti High School in the Hajipur Mahua block. Jitendra Kumar Singh, a BPSC teacher at the school, was reportedly granted leave for pregnancy.
This was noted on the education department's portal, Eshikshakosh, where maternity leaves are recorded. Teachers have been using the portal since November, and reports indicated that Singh has been on leave since then. Maternity leave was marked in his attendance record for December, with leave granted from December 2 to 10.
A system error?
According to Block Education Officer (BEO) Archana Kumari, Jitendra Kumar Singh's name was mistakenly added to the portal but will be removed soon.
She explained that the error arose due to a technical issue and that it would be rectified soon.
"The teacher's leave was mistakenly categorised under a type he is not entitled to. The casual leaves (CLs) applied by female teachers are shown as earned leaves (ELs). We will take corrective action after reviewing the matter. Male teachers are also eligible for 15 days of leave, but under a different category," she told the media.
There has been significant frustration among the district’s teachers over the fact that a male teacher was granted leave intended exclusively for women. In Bihar, teachers are entitled to 180 days of maternity leave, which is available for up to two children, for government employees.
It may be noted that the department warned district education officials last month that leniency in school inspections would not be tolerated and that those responsible would face serious consequences.
