The next morning, Vikram filed an RTI query with BSEB. The official response arrived in a week: "The Teacher Directory is a dynamic system reflecting sanctioned posts, not biological status. Shri Arun Sinha, though deceased, holds the 'Master Trainer (Mathematics)' position until a qualified replacement is found. His service record remains 'Active' due to administrative oversight. However, multiple student testimonies confirm his continued pedagogical contribution. The Board is investigating the possibility of 'Posthumous Teaching Credits' for board exam results."
It was 2 AM when Vikram, a mid-level software engineer in Bengaluru, got the email. He ignored it. Then his phone buzzed with a call from his mother in Muzaffarpur.
"He says an old man in a white dhoti appeared on the blackboard. Not as a ghost—as a teacher . He used a piece of chalk that appeared from nowhere. He solved the equation. Then he wrote: 'Page 47, Exercise 3.2. Come prepared tomorrow.' Pintu passed his test for the first time."
