On 1st of September 2023, a teacher in Khagaria, Bihar, was suspended due to his comments criticising the state education department officials for reducing the number of school holidays during significant festivals, including Rakshabandhan. His comments were in opposition to a notification issued by the Bihar government’s education department on August 29, which resulted in a reduction of holidays in schools during festivals.
In a video lasting approximately three minutes, the teacher, identified as Sunil Kumar, was recorded delivering a strongly worded criticism directed towards the additional chief secretary of the Bihar education department, K K Pathak. This video was recorded while Sunil Kumar’s sister tied a rakhi on his wrist within the school premises, as he did not receive a holiday on the festival as per the new rule. Sunil Kumar even issued a warning to Pathak, suggesting that he would face repercussions within a span of six months.
As per a suspension order issued on September 1, 2023, Sunil Kumar has been suspended from his duties and is subject to departmental action due to his use of indecent and objectionable language directed towards higher-ranking officials. The suspension notice additionally specifies that Kumar’s salary payments will be withheld with immediate effect.
The order emphasised that the Bihar Elementary School Service (Appointment, Promotion, Transfer, Disciplinary Action, and Service Conditions) Rules of 2020 unequivocally forbid such behaviour and demand that all employees uphold a code of conduct while fulfilling their roles within the education sector.
The Bihar Shikshak Manch shared his video on X and wrote in the caption, “After the cancellation of the Raksha Bandhan leave of the employed teachers in Bihar, a teacher’s sister reached Mathurapur school in Khagaria from Bhagalpur crying and tied a rakhi to her brother who expressed his anger.”
In this video, the teacher Sunil Kumar said, “I am speaking from the school in Mathurapur in the Khagaria district. I want to tell to Mr. KK Pathak that he does not have the guts to break the bond of love and care between a brother and a sister. My sister came here to the school all the way from Bhagalpur to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. She wishes for a long life for me. Mr. KK Pathak, see this. I think you have cataracts in your eyes. Remove your glasses and see. All the sisters in Bihar will protest against you. There is still time for you to wake up. It seems that you are a man who does not have anyone in his family. You don’t have any mother, father, wife, brother, or sister. Had there been any relatives in your family, you would not have dared to draw this circular.”
बिहार में नियोजित शिक्षकों का रक्षाबंधन की छुट्टी रद्द होने के बाद एक शिक्षक की बहन रोती हुई भागलपुर से खगड़िया के मथुरापुर विद्यालय पहुँची अपने भाई को बाँधी राखी,शिक्षक भाई ने निकाली भरास . pic.twitter.com/ZU5QnJlsIl
— बिहार शिक्षक मंच (@btetctet) August 31, 2023
The teacher further said, “You condemned the unbreakable bond of love between brother and sister (by cancelling the holiday of Raksha Bandhan). You brought shame to this relation all over Bihar. I think you know nothing. You say that there should be 220 working days of teaching. The fact is that we teach 253 days in school. Are your eyes this weak that you cannot see this? You see the school premises. Not a single student is here, and all the teachers have come to the school. Is this your knowledge? Is this what you have learnt? Who made you the chief secretary of the Bihar education department? You should be ashamed. You should die of shame. You brought shame to the whole society.”
He added, “If you still don’t wake up, you will face punishment within 6 months and we will tell this government how strong teachers are. Our sisters observe fasts and celebrate festivals. Aren’t they doing this with a pious feeling towards the nation? Don’t they wish any betterment of the country when they celebrate festivals? If you have guts, come to Khagaria Mr. KK Pathak. It is the same Khagaria that has opposed the chief minister in the past. Who are you?”
The decision by the Bihar education department to reduce the number of school holidays during significant festivals in the last five months of the year has sparked a political dispute. The BJP has called the government anti-Hindu in response to this move. Teachers’ associations and BJP leaders have united in their call for the revocation of the holiday policy and the removal of K K Pathak, the additional chief secretary of the education department.
The notice issued on 29th August 2023 by the state education department explained that this decision to reduce festival holidays was taken to standardise the number of working days in schools across various districts within the state. Government schools cancelled leaves for festivals such as Raksha Bandhan, Teej, and Jiutia, and reduced the overall number of non-working days due to holidays. The notice specified that the count of festive holidays was reduced from 23 to 11 between September and December.
Bihar Education Department reduces the number of festive holidays in government schools from 23 to 11 between September to December. pic.twitter.com/Qe6BlAXqh8
— ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2023
As per the notice issued by the state education department, a revised holiday schedule has been established for schools. Notable changes include Chehlum on September 6, Anant Chaturdashi and Prophet Mohammed’s birthday on September 28, and Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday on October 2, which will be observed as one-day school holidays. Durga Pooja will lead to a three-day school closure from October 22-24, while Diwali will result in a one-day school holiday on November 12. Additionally, Chitragupta Puja and Bhaiya Dooj festival on November 15 will provide schools with a day off. Chhath, one of Bihar’s significant festivals, will be celebrated with a two-day school holiday on November 19-20. Finally, Christmas will see schools closed on December 25.
The education department, in its announcement, referenced the Right to Education Act of 2009 to emphasise the statutory requirement of a minimum of 200 teaching days in a year for primary schools and 220 days for middle schools (comprising classes 6-8). In line with these provisions, the department subsequently revised the holiday calendar for the remaining five months of the year, effectively reducing the number of holidays from 22 days to just eight days, starting from September onwards.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, however, expressed support for this decision. He said, “After all, everyone wants education in schools. If the officials of the education department are doing that, what is wrong? If anyone has anything to say, they should tell me. I am here to listen to all. He (KK Pathak) is doing a good job. I want all children to study.”
