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The Shiksha Maha Kumbh in Bareli town of Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, to commemorate the birth centenary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has sparked a political storm.
During the event, School Education Minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh made startling admissions about corruption in the education sector, acknowledging that hundreds of teachers have been flouting norms.
"I personally know of 500 teachers who hire substitutes to work in their place for Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000. In my district alone, there are 100 such teachers," said Mr Singh.
However, the minister refrained from committing concrete action against the errant teachers.
The Congress party wasted no time in criticising the minister for his remarks.
"This confession of MP's Education Minister is deeply concerning. Despite knowing about 500 dishonest teachers, why are you shielding them? If you cannot act against these individuals, you should resign," said Umang Singhar, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly.
Mr Singhar urged the minister to take immediate action against at least the 100 dishonest teachers identified in his district, accusing him of failing to uphold his responsibilities.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of alarming statistics about school enrollment shared by the Education Minister in the assembly. Between 2016-17 and 2023-24, 1.22 million fewer students enrolled in government schools from Class 1 to 12.
Enrollment dropped significantly in lower classes (Class 1-5) by 635,434 students. Even private schools witnessed a decline of 926,051 students during the same period.
Increased Spending, Decreased Enrollment
Despite declining student numbers, government expenditure on school education has increased by 80%, from Rs 16,226.08 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 29,468.03 crore in 2023-24. The average expenditure per student in government schools more than doubled, rising from Rs 16,672 to Rs 34,631 during this period.
The minister attributed the decline in enrollment to several factors, including a reduction in the 0-6 age group population, data purification processes through child tracking, and school dropouts.
Congress MLA Pratap Grewal called for a white paper on the issue, citing a 46.22 lakh drop in total school enrollment from 2010-11 to 2022-23 despite a population increase of over one crore. Grewal argued that this stark decline demands detailed scrutiny and accountability.
The government, however, rejected the proposal, stating that a white paper would not be issued. The minister attributed the enrollment trends to demographic changes and systemic reforms, dismissing calls for deeper investigation.