The Bihar Education Department has deducted the salaries of 12,987 school teachers, who were found absent from duty during inspections, in the last six months, a senior official said on Friday.

The department has also suspended 39 others for various teaching violations committed in the last six months, while 13 educators have been dismissed from service for allegedly remaining absent from duty for periods between six months and two years without prior sanction, and also violating provisions of teachers' recruitment regulations.

"In the last six months (till December 23), the department has so far deducted salaries of 12,987 teachers who were found absent (for six months to two years) from their duties without permission from the competent authority. "Recommendations have also been sent for the salary deduction of 131 more teachers. Besides, 13 teachers have been dismissed for allegedly violating the provisions of the Bihar School Teachers' Recruitment regulations in the last six months," the official of the department said on condition of anonymity.

The state education department is already facing criticism for its recent circulars pertaining to teachers.

The Raj Bhavan in Bihar on December 26 sent a missive to the state's chief secretary seeking immediate "corrective measures" against "unconstitutional" and "autocratic" orders passed by the higher education wing of the education department in the recent past.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar expressed the view that the department, by having passed such orders, seemed intent on "destroying the academic environment in the state".

Both alliance partners of the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar as well as opposition BJP have demanded immediate withdrawal of the circulars.

Ever since the department launched intense an inspection of schools from July 1 following the instructions of its Additional Chief Secretary K K Pathak, officials, right from block to district levels, are inspecting schools under their jurisdiction as per the roster prepared by the department. The state education department has come out with a slew of stringent measures to improve the quality of education in the state.

Reacting to departmental action against teachers, Sandeep Saurav, an MLA of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, told PTI on Friday, "I must say that certain circulars of the department pertaining to teachers are autocratic in nature. We are also in favour of reforms in the education system in the state but it should be done with a human face."

"Teachers should not be held responsible for all sorts of flaws in the education system. They (teachers) should not be the only ones blamed for the mess in the education system," he added.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist-?Leninist) Liberation is an alliance partner of the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar.

Echoing a similar view, senior BJP leader Nikhil Anand said, "There is no doubt that certain circulars or orders issued by K K Pathak are against the democratic norms. How come about around 14,000 teachers in the state are facing notices, suspension, dismissal and salary deduction?

Despite repeated attempts by PTI, Bihar Education Minister Chandra Shekhar was not available for his comments on the issue.