Mandi (Munish Sood)
An incident has surfaced from a government primary school near Riwalsar in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh where a teacher allegedly reached school heavily drunk and dozed off on a chair while children were left unattended.
The teacher, identified as Yadvinder, was posted at the Primary School at Durgapur’s Dusra Khaboo. A purported video of the incident was recorded by a local resident, which showed the teacher slumped on a chair, too drunk to even respond coherently to questions. When confronted, the teacher dismissed the concerns, claiming he was on leave.
The resident alleged that this wasn’t the first time the teacher had reported to school under the influence of liquor. Despite previous warnings and complaints, the behaviour had persisted, he alleged.
Education Department confirms incident
The Education Department has since initiated an investigation, with Deputy Director of Elementary Education Vijay Gupta confirming the incident. A team had been sent to probe the matter and the authorities had assured immediate action against the teacher, he said.
The incident has sparked outrage among parents and locals, who are demanding strict measures to ensure teachers adhere to professional and ethical standards. This case raises serious questions about monitoring and accountability in government schools, putting pressure on the authorities to take swift and stringent action.
This incident is not an isolated one. Cases of negligence, misconduct and lack of accountability among permanent teachers in Himachal Pradesh have been reported earlier too.
Wake-up call for education reforms
The incident in Dusra Khaboo highlights the urgent need for systemic reforms. While teachers are integral to the education system, their lack of accountability is a growing concern.
With incidents like this eroding public trust in the system, the Himachal Pradesh government faces a critical choice: to revamp its policies and enforce stricter accountability measures for staff.
