Tight Grip on Teachers Continues Even After K.K. Pathak’s Exit, Fear Grows Over Public Disclosure of Assets

Patna: Even after the departure of former Additional Chief Secretary K.K. Pathak, the Bihar Education Department has shown no signs of easing its tough stance on teachers. A fresh directive issued by the department has triggered widespread anxiety among lakhs of government school teachers across the state, reinforcing the perception that administrative strictness remains firmly in place.

What Is the New Order?

Under the latest order, all categories of government school teachers in Bihar have been instructed to submit complete details of their movable and immovable assets, along with information about their financial liabilities such as loans. The department has made it clear that failure to submit the asset declaration will result in the withholding of salary.

While asset disclosure is not a new requirement, it was earlier applicable mainly to senior or long-serving teachers. This time, however, the rule has been made uniformly applicable to all teachers, including:

• Contractual teachers
• BPSC-appointed teachers
• Headmasters and principals
• Special teachers
• School teachers and appointed teachers

The sweeping nature of the directive has intensified concerns within the teaching community.

Why This Move Now?

According to sources, the government’s intent behind the directive is to ensure transparency and to verify whether teachers are engaging in income-generating activities outside their official duties. Complaints have frequently surfaced alleging that some government teachers run or work in private coaching centres during school hours, sometimes even diverting students there for personal gain.

By seeking detailed asset disclosures, the government aims to curb such practices and maintain discipline within the education system.

Concerns Over Safety and Privacy

However, teachers’ unions have raised strong objections—particularly over the possibility of asset details being made public.

Suresh Rai, Vice-President of the Bihar State Teachers’ Association, said that while asset disclosure is understandable after teachers have been granted the status of state employees, such information should remain strictly within departmental records.
“Making these details public is dangerous and unnecessary,” he warned.

Echoing similar concerns, Krityanand Chaudhary, State President of the Plus Two Teachers’ Association, said the demand for asset details itself is not wrong, but public disclosure could expose teachers to serious risks.
“If asset information becomes accessible in the public domain, it could fall into the hands of criminals, extortionists, and kidnappers. Teachers with ancestral property or significant assets could become soft targets,” he said.

Call for Reconsideration

Teacher representatives have urged the Education Department to review its decision, stressing that transparency should not come at the cost of personal safety and privacy. They argue that while accountability is necessary, safeguards must be in place to prevent misuse of sensitive financial information.

As the debate intensifies, the new directive has once again put the Bihar Education Department at the centre of controversy—demonstrating that the strict administrative legacy associated with K.K. Pathak continues to shape policy, even in his absence.