Crime Branch to probe fake appointment of teachers under Ujjwal

Bhubaneswar: The state Crime Branch would probe ‘fake recruitment’ of teachers under the state government’s Ujjwal Yojana, informed school and mass education secretary Ranjana Chopra on Thursday.
According to reports, Diligence Learning Focused Society (DLFS), an agency, had given appointment to teachers by sending letters to District Education Officers by forging the signature of joint secretary of the department.
A decision to order a probe was taken after the department came across a ‘forged letter’ entrusting DLFS with appointment of teachers in few schools.
“We are completely unaware of the existence of any agency named DLFS. We have no MoU with it as far as Ujjwal scheme or engagement of teachers is concerned. The programme is being implemented through department officers. The matter has now been referred to the Crime Branch for a thorough inquiry,” she said.
Suspecting the authenticity of the teachers’ appointment, authorities of several schools had earlier sought clarification from the department.
A probe by the department revealed that DLFS wasn’t authorised for appointing teachers. Clear instructions were then issued to headmasters of primary and upper primary schools not to allow unauthorised teachers to teach in schools, official sources said.
Ujjwal, a comprehensive programme, was launched last year to promote and provide quality elementary education.