Shimla: A Government school teacher in Himachal Pradesh has been doing his job so seriously that he has taken no leave in the past 34 years.

As a reward, the State Government has decided to give Todar Ram, 57, a two-year extension in service after he retires later this year from the Government Secondary School Gurkhota in Mandi district, some 160 km from here.

"We have also decided to approach the Guinness Book of World Records to verify our records and consider his achievement (for inclusion)," said Nirmala Sharma, deputy director in the primary education department at Mandi.

Ram, who won a national teacher award a few years ago, belongs to Andretta in the Balh valley of Mandi district. He has taken no leave other than the Sunday weekly offs, school vacations and Government holidays.

"I served for around 28 years in the hard mountainous region of Kullu Valley and had to often walk long distances in the hilly terrain to reach school but I didn't ever take leave," says Ram.

Himachal Pradesh has one of the highest literacy rates in the country at around 80 percent. IANS