K'taka pvt schools assn writes to PM alleging corruption in edu dept

NT correspondent

Bengaluru: Even as the Karnataka government is under pressure over corruption allegations made by the contractors' association, another organisation has come forward alleging corruption in the education department.

The Registered Unaided Private Schools' (RUPSA) Management Association on Friday alleged rampant corruption in the education ministry. The association had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention and demanding the removal of the education minister, BC Nagesh.

 Speaking to reporters at Legislators' House in Bengaluru, the association members alleged corruption of up to 40-50 per cent in the education department.

 "The average bribe taken by officials is up to 30-50 percent. DDPI (Deputy Director of Public Instruction) takes 20 percent and BEO (Block Education Office) takes 25 percent of the receivable amount in RTE reimbursement. They have fixed a rate for every kind of work or permission. The majority of these jobs cannot be done online, leading to corruption," RUPSA president Lokesh Talikatte said.

 RUPSA has also written to the Prime Minister highlighting some of the issues such as Renewal of Recognition (RR) is not happening, RTE reimbursements are not being made, Obtaining NOCs is becoming difficult for those who want to follow the curriculum of other boards, and Officials are visiting schools regularly and collecting bribes.

"The department has started a new method. They have appointed a three-man committee. This committee visits schools under the pretext of verification. If not bribed, the committee will find some lacunae and start harassment. This is the newly carved brainchild of our education minister," The association's letter to the PM read.

"The association members alleged that the officials were demanding lakhs of rupees to get a renewal of recognition letter. The High Court has ordered RR to be done every 10 years, but officials are claiming that it has to be done every year. And to do it, officials are demanding hefty bribes," Talikatte said.

The association also claimed that they had written thrice to the PM to remove BC Nagesh as the education minister, but nothing had been done.

BC Nagesh is yet to react to the allegations made by RUPSA.