News Bihar Bed performance or bad performance?: Bihar education department trolled over typo, 13 teachers punished

Bed performance or bad performance?: Bihar education department trolled over typo, 13 teachers punished

Bihar: In Jamui district, a typo in an official order from the District Education Office led to widespread amusement and criticism. Following a May 22 inspection, the DEO ordered a one-day salary cut for 16 education workers due to "bed performance," a mistake meant to indicate "bad performance."

Bihar education department Image Source : PTI/FILE PHOTOStudents being checked at a centre as they arrive to appear in the board exams. (REPRESENTATIONAL PICTURE)

A curious incident has emerged from the Jamui district of Bihar, where a spelling mistake in an official order from the District Education Office has raised eyebrows. Following an inspection on May 22, the District Education Officer (DEO) ordered a one-day salary cut for 16 education workers due to what was described as "bed performance" in the report, instead of "bad performance."

Typographical error causes uproar

The term "bed performance" instead of "bad performance" caused a stir, turning the official letter into a source of amusement. The education department quickly attributed the error to a typographical mistake and issued a correction, stating that it should be read as "bad performance." However, the damage was done as the letter had already gone viral and sparked widespread discussion.

The picture of the letter is going viral on social media.

Questionable performance assessment

Many who read the letter were surprised that the inspectors assessed the performance of education workers based on a single day's inspection. Traditionally, actions were taken against personnel found absent during inspections. This time, however, the reason cited was poor performance. Questions arose about the parameters or basis used for this performance assessment within just one day.

Official clarification

The DEO defended the decision to cut salaries based on poor performance, affecting 13 education workers for inadequate performance and three for absenteeism. The affected workers include six from Chakai, three from Barhat, three from Sono, one each from Jhajha and Gidhaur, and two from Jamui. Rajesh Kumar, the DEO, clarified that the spelling mistake was a typographical error and issued a correction letter.

Widespread reactions

This incident highlighted the challenges and sensitivities involved in administrative communications and the potential for minor errors to become significant issues, especially in the age of social media.

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