Education Department cracks down on private schools falsifying RTE

The Education Department has suspended an official after uncovering fraudulent practices by certain private schools, which were reportedly claiming government funds for non-existent students. Schools were allegedly presenting false enrollment numbers to the department, collecting reimbursement under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, and bypassing regulations without facing repercussions.

Sources said that in Bengaluru North Zone-4, 13 private schools run by a trust were found to be involved in these discrepancies. The schools reportedly claimed reimbursements for students who were not physically attending, thereby exploiting the RTE reimbursement system. Despite these irregularities, no actions were initially taken against the schools.

The investigation led to the suspension of HG Jagadih, a previous RTE nodal officer, who was accused of supporting the schools’ fraudulent claims. The department received complaints about the Trust schools, and an internal report confirmed significant discrepancies, including fabricated records of student attendance and enrollment.

An official said that the scope of the RTE system has increased substantially over the years. When first implemented in 2012-13, the department reimbursed Rs. 29.96 crore for 49,292 students. By 2023-24, the reimbursement has surged to Rs. 496 crore for 3.36 lakh students. Over the past 12 years, the education department has spent a cumulative Rs. 3,768 crore on RTE fee reimbursements.

However, cases of fraudulent records continue to surface, calling for stricter checks and verification. Officials said that additional irregularities were identified in the documentation provided by the schools. The RTE nodal officer allocated 25% of seats to these schools, disregarding RTE guidelines, resulting in financial losses for the government. The department deemed this a severe breach of duty, citing negligence and misconduct. Jagadish, now an assistant teacher at a government school in Agrahara Layout, has been suspended immediately.