The state education department is planning to initiate action against teachers of government-run schools who possess fake certificates.

Following a Patna High Court directive, the department had issued a notice, in June, asking teachers possessing fake educational degrees to quit on their own to avoid facing legal action.

On Friday, district education officers (DEOs) met vigilance officials to discuss initiation of strict action against such teachers.

The DEOs submitted a report saying around 129 teachers possessing fake certificates had resigned in the past week since publication of the notice.

Education department spokesperson Amit Kumar said: "We have reports from different districts where 129 teachers - 119 primary and 10 secondary - have resigned on their own."

The spokesperson said the number was likely to go up, as many DEOs were yet to submit their report in this regard.

Education department sources said around 25,000 teachers working at government schools had fake certificates.

Patna High Court had on June 22 directed the state government to issue a notice asking teachers possessing fake education certificates to quit on their own or face legal action. The court had set a deadline of July 8, following which action would be initiated against such teachers.

The action would range from lodging of FIR to recovery of salaries for the period they have worked.

A high court division bench of Chief Justice L Narasimha Reddy and Justice Sudhir Singh issued the order while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activists Rajat Pandit and others.

Sources said the state government had appointed over 3.75 lakh teachers in different phases.

In 2006, recruitment agencies such as panchayat and urban local bodies, made large-scale appointments in government-run schools.

At that time, candidates who had completed intermediate or graduation were appointed as government schoolteachers on the recommendation of mukhiyas (village heads) or ward councillors. Sources said the recommendation helped many candidates get appointed after submitting fake certificates.

The public interest litigation alleges the same.

Based on the high court's directive, the state government asked its vigilance department to probe the educational qualifications of teachers.

A vigilance officer was deputed for this exercise in all 38 districts.