Editor,
Apropos the news item carried on the front page of your daily on 26/02/2026, wherein it was reported that the jobs of 41 resource persons teaching children with special needs (CwSNs) in schools were terminated for not possessing the requisite qualifications, I would like to place certain facts before the general public and readers for thoughtful consideration.
First and foremost, the resource persons themselves are undoubtedly at fault for submitting fake degrees and certificates. However, the issue cannot be viewed in isolation. The responsibility must also extend to the SPD (SSA) and the DSPD (ISSE) during whose tenure this entire episode unfolded. It was their bounden duty to verify the authenticity of the certificates at the time of submission. Even after selection and appointment, proper scrutiny of academic credentials could and should have been conducted when the appointees joined their respective places of posting.
The fact that such verification was allegedly not undertaken for over a decade raises serious concerns about administrative negligence, if not complicity. It gives rise to an uncomfortable impression that the officers concerned were either grossly negligent or, worse, tacitly supportive. Therefore, a thorough and impartial departmental inquiry must be initiated to fix accountability at all levels. Responsibility should not be limited only to the terminated employees; it must also extend to those who were entrusted with oversight. Public accountability demands nothing less.
It is widely known, and reflected in various RTI disclosures, that several employees in the education department are holding questionable or dubious educational qualifications. Yet, action appears selective. It is known that certain individuals who obtained degrees from controversial institutions, including CMJ University of Meghalaya, were not only retained but promoted to positions such as DDSE and principals.
Further, many HM/VP/DDSE/principals, originally appointed as junior teachers on a regular basis, obtained their MA degrees as regular candidates without obtaining prior permission from the competent authority. This is a grave anomaly, as government teachers are ordinarily not granted two years or more of leave merely to pursue a regular postgraduate degree. It is widely alleged that during this period, some of these individuals continued to draw full and handsome salaries from the state government while remaining absent from their official places of posting.
Reports also suggest that certain individuals resided in university hostels within Arunachal Pradesh and availed of stipends and facilities meant for regular students, many of whom belong to economically disadvantaged families.
If these reports are accurate, they point to serious ethical lapses and misuse of public resources. Despite such apparent irregularities, these individuals continue to be considered for higher promotions such as joint director, and some are presently serving as DDSE/principal/HM/VP.
It is also learnt that many of the terminated resource persons had subsequently obtained valid educational qualifications after initially being misled by certain institutions outside the state where they had enrolled for BEd (special education) degree and diploma courses. Many of them have served the department faithfully for 10-12 years, have now crossed the age limit for fresh employment, and are sole breadwinners with minor children dependent on them.
Such apparent partiality and differential treatment is deeply galling and hurtful. It does not bode well for a welfare state like Arunachal, which is founded upon principles of equity, justice, and equal opportunity. In a democratic and welfare-oriented administration, similarly situated individuals must be treated alike. Selective enforcement of rules erodes public trust, weakens institutional credibility, and sends a dangerous message that accountability is not uniform.
If strict standards are to be applied, they must be applied uniformly and without fear or favour. Accountability cannot be selective, nor can justice be one-sided.
In light of the above, I earnestly appeal to the chief minister, the education minister, the education commissioner to undertake a comprehensive and impartial review of the matter. Let responsibility be fixed at all levels, and let similarly placed cases be treated with parity and fairness. Only through transparent and even-handed action can public confidence in the education department be restored.
L Kumi, Naharlagun