In a startling revelation that has triggered widespread debate, the Bihar Education Department has come under scrutiny after it was found that a government school teacher continued to receive a salary for 22 months while being lodged in jail. The incident has exposed serious administrative lapses and raised fresh questions about transparency, monitoring systems, and accountability within the state’s education machinery.
According to official records accessed during an internal review, the teacher was arrested and sent to judicial custody in connection with a criminal case. Despite this, his monthly salary was regularly credited to his bank account without interruption. The matter came to light only after a routine verification exercise conducted at the district level, revealing that no attendance records, suspension orders, or departmental actions had been updated during the entire period of incarceration.
Senior officials have acknowledged that the lapse points to systemic failures rather than an isolated mistake. Preliminary findings suggest that the absence of real-time coordination between the education department, school administration, and district authorities allowed the payments to continue unchecked. In some cases, outdated manual processes and lack of digital oversight have been cited as contributing factors.
The revelation has sparked sharp reactions from opposition parties, teacher associations, and civil society groups. Critics argue that such negligence not only results in misuse of public funds but also undermines trust in government institutions. “If a jailed employee can draw a salary for nearly two years, it clearly shows how weak internal controls are,” said a senior education analyst.
In response, the Bihar Education Department has ordered a departmental inquiry and assured strict action against officials found responsible. Authorities have also initiated steps to recover the excess salary paid and are reviewing similar cases across districts to prevent recurrence. Officials indicated that biometric attendance systems and integrated digital tracking of employee status may be strengthened to plug existing loopholes.
This incident has reignited the broader debate on governance reforms in the education sector. As Bihar continues to invest heavily in improving school infrastructure and learning outcomes, experts stress that administrative accountability must keep pace. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether corrective measures translate into lasting reforms or remain limited to damage control.
