SED warns officers over 'lax' inquires; issues advisory

Srinagar, Oct 16: In a surprising development, the School Education Department (SED) has cautioned the top officials of the department for their careless attitude towards completion of the enquiries ordered by the department.

In this regard, the administrative department has issued an advisory to the officials and instructed the officers of the department to discharge official responsibilities with all seriousness.

"It has been observed that departmental enquiries are being conducted in a most careless manner and without proper investigation," the advisory reads.

In the advisory, the inquiry officers have been asked to conduct a comprehensive enquiry stating that because of the laxity in completion of the enquiry, no punitive or ameliorative action is taken against the erring officials.

"The set procedure as per the standing instructions of the General Administration Department for conducting enquiries by the inquiry officer to whom the inquiry is entrusted upon is not being followed in letter and spirit," the advisory reads.

It reads the laxity of inquiry officers defeats the "very purpose" of investigation and deciding the matter within the prescribed timelines.

"It results in protracted delay in concluding the enquiry cases which provides undue advantage to the delinquent public servant," the advisory reads.

The administrative department has stated that the careless behaviour has been viewed seriously and it has been found that the inquiry officers are leaving many loose ends in the inquiry reports and the enquiries are conducted in a careless manner.

"Accordingly, it is emphasised that the official responsibilities must be discharged with all seriousness and alacrity and there is no scope of any perfunctoriness," it reads.

It further states that the job of enquiry is a serious one and shall be performed with utmost seriousness. "In case, any carelessness on official responsibilities is found, the displeasure shall be conveyed by HoDs and Administrative Department and the same shall be recorded in the service book of the investigating officers," it reads.

The advisory has come days after the former Principal Secretary expressed his displeasure over the delay in completing the inquiries ordered by the department and JK Board of School Education (BOSE).

A top official said that while chairing his last meeting of the department, former Principal Secretary Alok Kumar expressed his displeasure over the delay in completion of inquiries properly.

"He also shared a grievance of an individual in the official whatsapp group of the department while referring to the delay by JKBOSE in completing the inquiry ordered over wrong distribution of the question paper in annual board exams of class 12th in March this year," the official said.

Notably, hue and cry was made by the class 12th students after they received a question paper of Physical Education subject of class 11th.

Following this, an inquiry was ordered vide No.195-JK (Edu) to investigate into the matter and fix responsibility for the negligence within seven days. Also a parallel committee was ordered by the incumbent chairman JKBOSE to probe the matter.

"But no action was initiated against the erring officials, till date," the official said.