SHILLONG: Meghalaya Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui has made it clear that teachers whose appointments were found to be “tainted” will not be reinstated, despite recent legal developments in the controversial “white ink” case.
The statement comes after the High Court discharged former minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and several senior officials in connection with the case, citing lack of sufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges.
Addressing reporters in Shillong, Rymbui drew a clear distinction between the criminal proceedings and the issue of irregular appointments, stressing that the two are separate matters.
“There are two distinct issues. The court had already termed these teachers as ‘tainted’ during the recruitment process. Their termination stands. The criminal case against officials is a different matter and does not affect that decision,” he said.
The “white ink” controversy, dating back to 2008–09, involved allegations of manipulation of marks using correction fluid to favour certain candidates during the recruitment of Lower Primary school teachers.
While the recent court order has brought relief to the accused officials in the criminal case, the government maintains that the integrity of the recruitment process remains compromised, and decisions taken against irregular appointments will not be reversed.
The minister’s remarks effectively rule out any possibility of reinstatement for the affected teachers, reaffirming the government’s stand on maintaining transparency and accountability in the education sector.
