- NCTE formed a five-member committee to probe irregularities at four B.Ed colleges in Madhya Pradesh
- The committee must submit a detailed report with evidence within five working days
- Committee members include former Vice-Chancellor H.C.S. Rathore and UGC Joint Secretary Ashima Mangla
The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has set up a five-member independent fact-finding and verification committee to investigate alleged irregularities at four B.Ed colleges in Madhya Pradesh. The inquiry follows reports that some institutions were not operating from their declared addresses and did not have the required infrastructure.
In an order issued on July 15, the teacher education regulator asked the committee to complete its investigation and submit a detailed report within five working days. The report will include documentary evidence, photographs and videographic records.
Committee Begins Inspection
The committee is headed by H.C.S. Rathore, former Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of South Bihar. Other members include Ashima Mangla, Joint Secretary at the University Grants Commission (UGC); Bhagwati Prasad Kalal and J.P. Singh, Directors in the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education; a nominee from the Madhya Pradesh government; and Wg Cdr Vijay Rana, Regional Director of the NCTE's Western Regional Committee.
The investigation was launched after media reports raised concerns about three B.Ed colleges affiliated with Barkatullah University. During the initial verification, officials found that another B.Ed college was also operating from the same premises, taking the total number of institutions under investigation to four.
According to NCTE, the committee reached Madhya Pradesh on July 17 and has started physical inspections of all four colleges.
"During the course of the preliminary study, it was found that, in addition to the three colleges reported earlier, one more college was functioning from the same premises. Hence, four colleges are being inspected," the NCTE said in a statement.
What The Committee Will Check
The committee has been asked to conduct on-site inspections using geotagged videos and photographs. It will verify whether the colleges are functioning from their approved locations and compare its findings with the records submitted by the institutions, including recognition documents and Performance Appraisal Reports (PARs).
The inspection will also examine whether the colleges meet the requirements under the NCTE Act, 1993, NCTE Regulations and the prescribed standards related to infrastructure, classrooms, laboratories, land, faculty strength and other conditions necessary for recognition.
The committee has been directed to submit its findings within five working days.
Calling the issue a serious matter, the NCTE said action will be taken against institutions found violating the rules.
"The Department has viewed this as a serious lapse and, accordingly, strict punitive action will be taken against the defaulting institutions, as necessary, after conducting a complete 360-degree comprehensive review," the NCTE said.