Patna: Bihar’s education department has cancelled the tender for supply of uniform to students of the government-run schools. The department had floated a tender to procure uniforms worth around ₹3,500 crore on March 11 in the 2024-25 fiscal.
The education department on Thursday issued a notification, cancelling the tender citing unavoidable reasons. According to the notification issued by Sanjay Kumar, additional secretary, education department, all bidders, whose requests for proposal (RFP) have passed through the technical bidding, were told to take back their samples of uniforms within a week.
Also Read: ‘Outsiders’ face heat for availing local teachers’ relaxation in Bihar
The education department decided to cancel the tender for supply of uniforms after additional chief secretary (ACS) S Siddharth, who has been given the additional charge, had reportedly noticed ‘some serious procedural flaws’ in the process during a review of the department’s functioning. Siddharth, who is originally posted with the cabinet secretariat department as its ACS, has been given the additional charge of the education department after KK Pathak proceeded on a month-long leave since June 3.
A senior officer said that the department had decided to discontinue the direct benefit transfer (DBT) payment in the bank account of students or their guardians for uniforms and opted to bulk procurement of uniforms from suppliers without getting the government’s approval. “The department had planned distributing readymade clothes to the students to ensure total parity among the students in terms of dress,” said the officer, wishing not to be quoted.
Also Read: Govt threatens action against ‘irresponsive’ pvt colleges, institutes
There are approximately 1.61 crore students enrolled in the government schools from primary to the higher secondary levels. Students of class one and two were getting ₹600 for purchase of uniform each year from the government through DBT mode. Likewise, students of three-five used to receive payment of ₹600 for uniforms, whereas girl students were paid ₹200 extra than the boys.
Boy students from class six to eight were getting paid ₹700 and girl students ₹1,000 in lieu of uniforms. The department was paying ₹1,000 to boy students from class 10 to 12 and girls were paid ₹1,500 as uniform allowance.
Also Read: Guest teachers to get weightage in teachers’ appointment by BPSC
The education department officer said that some of the technically qualified bidders did not have good track records in supplying dress materials.
Pathak has often been in the news for his tussle with the subordinates and his seniors. In the education department, he invited criticism from the teaching community for compelling them to come to schools on time despite the schools being closed due to severe heatwave conditions. Many teachers and students had fainted in the school campuses owing to heat strokes.
