KK Pathak, a 1990-batch IAS and additional chief secretary of education in Bihar is a rare officer who succeeded in sending off his minister after dispute.
This is a rare incidence in Indian democracy when a minister had to face transfer instead of an IAS in an officer-minister tiff.
Pathak, who is on a mission to transform education system in Bihar, is said to be not having cordial relations with education minister Chandrashekhar.
While Chandrashekhar had publicly objected to the alleged autocratic working style of Pathak, the IAS officer had banned entry of personal staff of the minsiter.
Well aware of the strained relationship between the two, chief minister Nitish Kumar removed education minister Chandrashekhar and replaced him with Alok Mehta. Chandrashekhar comes from RJD quota in the coalition government. So after discussion with deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, Kumar replaced him with another RJD minister Alok Mehta.
Why Chandrashekhar was removed?
KK Pathak is a dynamic and result oriented IAS officer. He is the choice of chief minister Nitish Kumar who wants to transform the education system in Bihar. Nitish had picked Pathak for this job and for the last seven months, he was doing great job except having tussle with the minister. The tiff between the two increased so much that Pathak banned the entry of personal staff of minister in his office and would seldom inform minister about any initiative or action he would plan.
Recently, Pathak went on a long leave relinquishing his charge from the post of additional chief secretary. It was said that Pathak had taken a decision not to work with Chandrashekhar due to differences. He was scheduled to join office on January 17 after long leave. Instead he extended his leave till January 31, 2024 prompting the chief minister change the education minister. Pathak cut short his leave and joined immediately.
What KK Pathak has done so far?
KK Pathak is stern and also looks to be stern. A lot of video clips of his scolding subordinates and using abusive language are doing rounds in social media. And to bring education system on track, Pathak is attacking on both – students as well as teachers. While he has instructed to strike off names of students for long absenteeism, Pathak deducted salaries and even suspended teachers for their absenteeism.
He has also barred teachers from forming unions, prohibited coaching classes from operating during school hours, slashed the number of religious holidays, strictly enforced the ban on staff wearing jeans and T-shirts to the secretariat, and extended the timings of schools from 9 am to 5 pm where previously it was 10 am to 4 pm.
Vivek Shukla is a management graduate who has worked in corporate worked for 20 years and is now pursuing his passion — news.
