Latest news with #BSAs
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
STF busts fake email syndicate, nabs two for education fraud & extortion
Lucknow: The UPSTF on Wednesday busted a cyber fraud syndicate that created fake email IDs in the names of STF and education department officials to send forged notices to Basic Shiksha Adhikaris (BSAs), DIOSs and exam controllers to extract sensitive information and extort money. Two key accused—Bajrangi Lal Gupta of Prayagraj and Jaiprakash Tiwari of Fatehpur—were arrested and three fake official seals, two mobile phones, a tablet, dozens of forged documents and signed letters seized. Fake certificates from Veer Bahadur Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, were also found. An STF team launched surveillance after the DIOS of Kaushambi received a suspicious notice asking for confidential records of teachers. Daily follow-up calls from unknown numbers increased pressure to comply. The STF team tracked the suspects to Shantipuram, Phaphamau (Prayagraj). STF additional SP Raj Kumar Mishra said the accused created fake letterheads, seals and forged email IDs impersonating senior officials of the STF and education departments. "Bajrangi, who was dismissed from a govt teaching job over fake mark sheets, masterminded the operation. He collaborated with Jaiprakash Tiwari, a typist with links to the BSA office in Fatehpur, to forge documents and extort money from teachers by threatening dismissal or promising reinstatement through fake university certificates," said Mishra. STF said Bajrangi, after completing his MEd in 2012, was hired as a teacher in Kaushambi but was terminated for using forged mark sheets. Since then, he was involved in multiple recruitment frauds. He has six criminal cases registered in Pratapgarh, Bhadohi and Jhansi. Jaiprakash Tiwari, whose father was a driver at the BSA office in Fatehpur, began working unofficially as a typist in the same office, where he met Bajrangi. He admitted to preparing forged letters and notices at Bajrangi's request. STF investigations have earlier led to the dismissal of four teachers in Prayagraj based on forged documents linked to this network. The arrested duo attempted to reverse those dismissals using counterfeit certificates. A fresh FIR has been registered at Manjhanpur police station, Kaushambi and further probe was on.
Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Allahabad HC dismisses pleas challenging govt order on merger of primary schools
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed petitions challenging a state government order that directed steps to be taken for the merger of government primary schools. The court had clubbed two petitions filed over the issue and reserved its order on Friday after completion of arguments. The petitions were filed against the government's June 16 order, issued by the Additional Chief Secretary, Basic Shiksha Department, directing merger of government schools under the supervision and control of the basic shiksha adhikaris (BSAs). The petitioners had also challenged a June 24 follow-up order, issuing a list of 105 schools for the purpose of merger. 'It is essential to add a word with regard to the National Education Policy, 2020, which includes various issues including the pairing of the schools. The policy in itself is laudible and prescriptions have been given with regard to the steps to be taken to ensure that education is imparted at the initial level to all the citizens and the children of the country. There being no material to the contrary in respect of guidelines of pairing in the policy of 2020, which can be said to be arbitrary or in violation of Article 21A of the Constitution and finding the impugned Government Orders to be in furtherance of the said objective, no interference is called for. Present petitions lack merit and are accordingly dismissed,' read the judgment passed by Justice Pankaj Bhatia. The bench added, 'The obligation cast upon the State shall be scrupulously followed and the State is bound to ensure that no child is left out because of any action taken by the State. It will be the duty of the Basic Shiksha Adhikari to ensure that no child is left out for being educated and all steps as are necessary shall be taken as and when required in accordance with law.' In the order, the court observed that it was important to notice that the Central government had issued the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, prescribing various measures in the interest of students and for improving the infrastructure of primary schools. Various government orders have been issued, forming committees for implementation of the guidelines issued in the NEP 2020, the bench said. The court noted, 'Although not cited or argued by either of the parties, Rule 4(3) has some seminal importance as the local authority has been saddled with a responsibility of identifying a neighbourhood school where the children can be admitted and such information is to be made public; the school as referred would be a school as defined under Section 2(n) of the RTE Act, thus, on a conjoint reading of Rule 4(1), Rule 4(2) and Rule 4(3), what transpires is that it is the duty of the State Government to establish schools as far as practical at a distance which is closest to the habitation, and if the same is not possible, to ensure that the children are provided facilities such as transportation etc., and for identification of a school which may be available in the neighbourhood in case the State Government cannot establish school, which would also include school other than the school established by the Government as is the mandate of Section 2(n) read with Section 12 of the RTE Act. Any other interpretation of Rule 4(1) would do violation to the statutory rule keeping in view the considerations of a large State such as the State of Uttar Pradesh with regard to availability of land and other resources and keeping in view the fiscal health of the State concerned.' It added, 'Thus, on a complete analysis of Rule 4(1), Rule 4(2) & Rule 4(3) read conjointly, it is clear that the State Government is bound to establish school on the nearest possible place from a habitation and in the absence thereof, it is obliged to ensure transportation facilities etc., and in conjunction thereof identifying the neighbourhood schools, whether they are government schools or otherwise.'
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC nixes plea challenging Ramayan, Veda workshops
Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a PIL challenging the letter issued by the director, International Ramayana and Vedic Research Institute, Ayodhya regarding organizing of summer Ramayan and Veda workshops in basic schools of Uttar Pradesh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With this order, these workshops proposed in the basic schools of the state can now be organised. A division bench comprising of Chief Justice Arun Bhasali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra gave this verdict on May 22 while dismissing the PIL filed by Dr Chaturanan Ojha. The director issued a letter on May 5, 2025, requesting all BSAs to make arrangements for summer workshops organised by the institute in all 75 districts. Ojha challenged the letter, calling it discriminatory. He argued that it promoted a particular religion. He added that such directives in public schools were unconstitutional. The court while dismissing the petition observed, "The petitioner, without disclosing his credentials except for as noticed hereinbefore, claiming himself to be a socially conscious citizen and an academic, has failed to comply with the requirements of the Allahabad High Court Rules pertaining to filing of the public interest litigation, which requires several declarations." "The petitioner has nowhere indicated as to how and in what manner, he came in possession of the said documents, being a resident of district Deoria as the communication has been issued by the District Basic Education Officer, Maharajganj, a different district. The petitioner apparently has attempted to suppress his credentials," added the court.
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
22L U.P. school kids may miss DBT for uniforms, stationery as verification lags
Nearly 22 lakh students in government-run primary and upper primary schools in Uttar Pradesh may miss out on the ₹1,200 direct benefit transfer (DBT) meant for school uniforms, shoes, bags, and stationery this academic year, as their verification process remains incomplete. The basic education department has so far verified 87.73 lakh students out of the 1.09 crore children promoted to the next class. The verification backlog is delaying the disbursement of DBT to parents' bank accounts, nearly a month after the new session began. 'There will be a delay in sending the amount of school dress, shoes, socks, sweaters, bags and stationery through DBT due to non-verification of about 22 lakh students who got promoted to the next class in council primary and upper primary schools,' an official said. Under the current process, headmasters must verify on the Prerna portal the number of students who have taken admission in the next class and those who have dropped out. These records must then be validated online by block education officers (BEO) and district basic education officers (BSA). They also need to confirm that the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of students' guardians are active. Out of the verified students, 3.27 lakh records are pending approval at the BEO level and another 3.33 lakh at the BSA level. The DBT process cannot proceed until all three levels of verification are complete. Deputy education director (Primary), Sanjay Kumar Upadhyay, expressed concern over the delay in a letter dated May 1. He instructed all headmasters, BEOs, and BSAs to expedite the verification process for the 2025–26 academic session. However, the communication did not mention a deadline for completion. 'To ensure funds are transferred through DBT, it must be ensured that all promoted students are verified at the school level, with details certified by the BEO and further verified by the DBE officers,' Upadhyay directed.
