Unauthorised portal access, inflated salary allowances and direct bank transfers are among the irregularities allegedly detected in the Bihar Education Department’s internal audits of its Human Resource Management System (HRMS).

The government’s internal audit report details three cases in Nawada, Bhagalpur and Patna involving alleged manipulation of salary records, misuse of login credentials and payments purportedly made in the names of non-existent teachers. The three cases involve alleged irregular payments totalling about Rs 1.85 crore, based on the amounts cited in the complaints and published reports. Police investigations and departmental proceedings have followed, with at least four officials suspended, according to published reports.

Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari told The Indian Express that the state government was auditing all 38 districts. “I have asked officials to complete the internal audit by mid-November. We are also engaging experts to prevent fudging of the HRMS system.…