Ajit Pawar warns officials against taking advantage of their position

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday warned officials against taking advantage of their posts like in case of the alleged malpractices in the Teachers' Eligibility Test (TET) and asked them to ensure proper functioning of educational institutions.

Pawar was addressing a gathering at the inauguration of the Maharashtra State Faculty Development Academy (MSFDA) here.

The deputy chief minister referred to the recent arrest of Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSEC) commissioner Tukaram Supe in connection with the alleged irregularities in TET, and warned officials not to take advantage of their position.

The state government will help provide infrastructure for institutes and organisations, but it is the responsibility of officials to improve and ensure smooth functioning of the same, he said.

"There have been instances where people who have been given responsibility have taken advantage of it. I also mentioned in the state Assembly that people involved in irregularities will face action. Nobody has the right to play with the future of students/candidates," Pawar said, referring to the alleged TET malpractice.

The MSFDA will improve the quality of education in the state, he said, while urging state Education Minister Uday Samant to visit the institute and upgrade it at regular intervals.

Speaking at the event, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray stressed on the importance of the spirit of inquiry and said that asking questions has become a crime in the country.

"In other countries, research is carried out in schools and colleges, while in India, it happens at research institutes. There is a need to stress on the spirit of inquiry in the new education system, which will allow students to ask questions. In our country, asking questions has become a crime whether it is in a classroom or elsewhere," Thackeray said.