A government school teacher in Madhya Pradesh was fired from his job for having three children and hiding this fact while applying for the post. This was in violation of the state’s two-child policy for its employees, which was implemented in 2001. The teacher, named Ganesh Prasad Sharma, worked at the CM Rise School in Amayan, Bhind district. He was appointed as a teacher in March this year, but a complaint was lodged against him for breaching the two-child norm. The school education department conducted an inquiry and found that Sharma had three children, one of whom was born after 2001.
The department quickly issued a termination order on August 2 and also directed the district education officer to file a police complaint against him. Sharma had given false information to the government and concealed his third child, the order said.
The school’s principal, Tikam Singh, who shared the termination order, said according to the state government’s General Administration Department (GAD) order, the third child should not be born to a government employee after January 26, 2001.
The two-child policy in Madhya Pradesh prohibits government employees from having more than two children after January 26, 2001. It also disqualifies them from contesting local body elections or getting promotions. The policy aims to control population growth and improve socio-economic indicators in the state. However, some people have challenged the policy in courts, claiming that it violates their reproductive and fundamental rights.
