A primary school teacher in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district has been suspended following a viral social media incident. A photo of a cheque he issued, embarrassingly filled with spelling mistakes, quickly spread online, raising serious questions about the standard of education in government institutions across the state.
The Directorate of School Education initiated disciplinary action against Atter Singh, a drawing teacher at the Government Senior Secondary School in Rohnat, for his negligence.
The now-infamous cheque, dated September 25 and amounting to ₹7,616, became an internet sensation for its truly remarkable spelling errors. Instead of correctly writing out the amount, it read ‘Saven Thursday Six Harendra Sixtey,’ leading to widespread public amusement and ridicule.
Responding to the embarrassing blunder, the Directorate promptly requested a comprehensive explanation from the school principal, the teacher involved, and any other officials deemed responsible for the oversight.
Both the principal and Mr. Singh were summoned to appear before Ashish Kohli, the Director of School Education, for a personal hearing on Saturday.
During the proceedings, Mr. Singh confessed that the error was inadvertent, a result of his failure to exercise proper due diligence. However, this explanation was not accepted by the Director, who emphasized the gravity of the situation.
Director Kohli issued a stern warning, stating, ‘Any act of negligence, casualness, or disregard for official responsibilities that could tarnish the department’s image will lead to severe disciplinary action in accordance with established rules.’
Consequently, the Directorate instructed the Deputy Director of School Education (Elementary) in Sirmaur to initiate formal disciplinary proceedings against the teacher, Atter Singh, under the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules of 1965, and to provide a detailed action taken report without delay.
The Directorate strongly reaffirmed that all official documents, especially those concerning financial transactions, must adhere to the highest standards of accuracy, responsibility, and administrative propriety.