Shimla, April 16: The Himachal Pradesh government’s education department has dismissed three college teachers following serious allegations of sexual harassment against female students. An internal investigation found all three teachers guilty of misconduct. Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar issued the dismissal orders on Thursday, which have been confirmed by officials.
The dismissed teachers include Virender Sharma, Anil Kumar, and Pawan Kumar. Virender Sharma was an assistant professor of mathematics, while Anil Kumar taught chemistry at Siddharth Government College in Hamirpur. Pawan Kumar was a dance-kathak instructor at Jawaharlal Nehru Government College of Fine Arts in Shimla.
According to the education department’s order, the allegations of “serious moral degradation and gross misconduct” against the three teachers have been fully substantiated. The order emphasized that the relationship between teachers and students should be based on mutual trust, respect, and a safe educational environment. Such acts not only breach this trust but also undermine the discipline of the institution and diminish public confidence in the education system.
The investigation report indicated that a case against Virender Sharma was registered on December 1, 2021, while he was stationed at Rajiv Gandhi Government Degree College, Choura Maidan. He allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior with a second-year B.Sc. student, attempting to establish a personal relationship and forcibly trying to have sexual relations at his home. The student resisted and managed to escape.
Anil Kumar faced allegations on November 14, 2024, while working at Siddharth Government College, Nadaun. During a chemistry practical class, he was accused of molesting and sexually harassing a first-year B.Sc. student by repeatedly touching her inappropriately. He later fled to avoid the allegations.
Pawan Kumar faced the most severe accusations. He reportedly abused his position by calling female students to his home for late-night dance practice, forcing some to stay overnight. On the night of January 22, 2024, he attempted to molest one student. There were also attempts to suppress this incident, with reports indicating that his wife pressured the complainant’s family.
Additionally, Pawan Kumar was found guilty of other misconducts, including manipulating student grades and failing to maintain proper attendance records.
According to the department, the explanations provided by the three teachers during the investigation did not hold up against the evidence. They could not diminish the seriousness of the allegations, leading the education department to conclude that retaining such teachers would jeopardize both student safety and the academic environment.
All three teachers have been dismissed with immediate effect. This decisive action sends a clear message from the education department that any form of sexual harassment against female students in colleges will not be tolerated.
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