Gurgaon: A complaint over the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme at PM SHRI Govt Senior Secondary School, in Mandi Khera of Nuh district has snowballed into disciplinary proceedings, with the directorate of elementary education issuing a show-cause notice to a guest teacher after an official inquiry found multiple alleged financial and administrative irregularities.The complaint, received through the office of the deputy commissioner in Dec 2025, prompted the district elementary education officer (DEEO) to constitute an inquiry committee to examine the functioning of the scheme in the school.According to the show-cause notice issued on Monday, the inquiry found that Mid-Day Meal funds were allegedly transferred to the personal bank account of the school principal instead of being handled through the prescribed mechanism. It also pointed to discrepancies between entries recorded in the cash book and those reflected in the bank passbook, raising questions over financial record-keeping. The committee further found variations in the number of students recorded in the daily attendance register and those shown in the Mid-Day Meal register, indicating inconsistencies in beneficiary records.The committee submitted two inquiry reports on Dec 31, 2025, and Feb 9, 2026. After examining the findings, the department concluded that there were prima facie serious lapses in the implementation and management of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme and initiated action against guest teacher Irshad, who was entrusted with the Mid-Day Meal charge despite being appointed as a drawing teacher.Another major observation was that responsibility for the Mid-Day Meal Scheme was assigned to a guest teacher despite the availability of a permanent employees in the school. The department called it an “irregular administrative arrangement”. The inquiry also highlighted overwriting in the attendance register, where attendance appeared to have been marked over entries that earlier recorded casual leave. In addition, the movement register was allegedly not maintained chronologically, while some teachers were shown as being “On Duty” without any specific orders authorising the same.Based on the inquiry reports and the material available on record, the department stated that Irshad prima facie appeared responsible for the reported irregularities in the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. It said that if the allegations are established, they would amount to misconduct under the Haryana Guest Teachers Service Act, 2019. Referring to Section 6(1) of the Act, the notice states that a guest teacher may be removed from service if found guilty of acts of omission or commission that would have rendered a regular govt employee liable for major disciplinary proceedings.The department has directed the teacher to submit a written explanation, along with supporting documents or evidence, within 15 days of receiving the notice, explaining why action, including removal from service, should not be initiated. It has also informed the teacher that under Section 6(2) of the Act, any removal order can be challenged before the appellate authority, whose decision will be final. The notice further warns that if no reply is received within the stipulated period, the department will presume that the teacher has no explanation to offer and may decide the matter ex parte on the basis of the available records.
