Gujarat: Commissioner of Schools’ office issues second notice to Sabarkantha DEO after principal goes unpaid for 8 months

Ahmedabad: A case highlighting administrative negligence within the state education department came to light after a principal reportedly went unpaid for eight months. The Commissioner of Schools' office issued notices to the Sabarkantha district education officer (DEO), seeking an explanation and directing immediate payment of the pending salary. However, despite the initial notice, neither the salary was released nor any clarification was submitted, prompting the Commissioner's office to grant a second opportunity for compliance.According to sources, the affected principal was selected under the Secondary School Principal Recruitment–2024 process. Originally serving in Aravalli district, the principal was selected for a position in Sabarkantha district. On Feb 25, 2025, a written intimation regarding resignation was submitted to the Aravalli DEO after the selection authority did not initially approve it. The matter was also communicated to the secondary branch of the Directorate of Education in Gandhinagar. Following due procedure, the resignation was eventually approved.
The principal joined Jamkhan Secondary School in Chamathan village of Vijaynagar taluka, Sabarkantha district, on May 9, 2025. However, the Himmatnagar DEO office allegedly failed to allocate a new employment number, citing procedural delays and lack of approval from Gandhinagar beyond the stipulated time limit. As a result, the principal's salary was not paid to date, despite multiple written representations, leading to severe financial hardship.On Jan 27, 2026, the Commissioner's office directed the Sabarkantha DEO to explain the delay and release the pending salary with proof. After no action was taken, a second notice was issued on Feb 17, 2026, demanding immediate compliance.