Raisen, Madhya Pradesh: The Shiksha Maha Kumbh, organized in Bareli town to commemorate the birth centenary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has ignited a political storm after startling revelations by School Education Minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh.
Minister’s Admission of Corruption
During the event, Minister Singh admitted to widespread corruption in the education sector, claiming he personally knows of 500 teachers who hire substitutes to work in their place for payments ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000.
“In my district alone, there are 100 such teachers,” Singh confessed. However, he refrained from announcing any concrete measures against these errant educators, leaving many questioning his commitment to addressing the issue.
The Congress party seized the opportunity to criticize the minister, with Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar demanding immediate action.
“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,” Singhar stated.
He called for urgent action against at least the 100 teachers identified in the minister’s district and accused Singh of neglecting his responsibilities.
Declining School Enrollment Statistics
The controversy comes amidst concerning data on declining school enrollment in Madhya Pradesh. Between 2016-17 and 2023-24, 1.22 million fewer students enrolled in government schools from Classes 1 to 12.
- Classes 1-5: Enrollment dropped by 635,434 students.
- Private Schools: Experienced a similar decline, with 926,051 fewer students during the same period.
Despite the drop, government expenditure on education has surged by 80%, from ₹16,226.08 crore in 2016-17 to ₹29,468.03 crore in 2023-24. The average per-student expenditure more than doubled, rising from ₹16,672 to ₹34,631.
Reasons for Enrollment Decline
The minister attributed the decrease in enrollment to multiple factors:
- Demographic Changes: A reduction in the 0-6 age group population.
- Systemic Reforms: Data purification processes through child tracking.
- School Dropouts: Contributing to declining numbers.
Congress MLA Pratap Grewal demanded a white paper on the issue, pointing to a drop of 46.22 lakh in total school enrollment between 2010-11 and 2022-23, despite a population increase of over one crore during the same period.
“This stark decline requires detailed scrutiny and accountability,” Grewal argued.
Government’s Response
The government rejected calls for a white paper, citing demographic and systemic reforms as sufficient explanations for the enrollment trends. Minister Singh dismissed the opposition’s demands for deeper investigation, adding further fuel to the controversy.
As the debate intensifies, the focus remains on the government’s accountability and its commitment to addressing corruption and declining educational standards in Madhya Pradesh.
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