Recent allegations have intensified against the ruling DMK government, with the latest concerns focusing on the mismanagement of central government funds intended for enhancing IT infrastructure in government-run schools. Reports suggest that these funds have been diverted to unintended expenses, raising questions about adherence to central guidelines and potential fraud in the recruitment of ICT instructors and the establishment of ICT labs.
Tamil Nadu boasts many teacher training graduates who remain unemployed despite available teaching positions in government schools. The state government has not taken steps to fill these vacancies or provide postings for candidates who have completed the requisite exams. Graduates struggling with unemployment are further distressed by deceptive recruitment scams masquerading as legitimate hiring processes. These schemes create the illusion of formal employment opportunities but ultimately benefit only those who engage in informal, under-the-table arrangements, often at the applicants’ expense.
Samagra Shiksha ICT Labs Recruitment Scam
The Samagra Shiksha program, designed to enhance school education from preschool through class 12, aims to improve school effectiveness by ensuring equal opportunities and equitable learning outcomes. This comprehensive program seeks to streamline implementation mechanisms and reduce transaction costs at state, district, and sub-district levels. It emphasizes improving system-level performance and schooling outcomes, focusing on Universal Access, Equity, and Quality. The initiative also aims to promote vocational education and strengthen Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs). However, there are growing concerns about potential mismanagement and corruption within this framework by the states.
Under the UDISE scheme, on 30 September 2022, the Ministry of Education issued a notification to fill positions in schools equipped with ICT labs, which receive recurring grants. The notification outlined a one-time non-recurring grant of up to ₹6.40 lakh per school and a recurring grant of up to ₹2.40 lakh annually for five years. Additionally, a one-time non-recurring grant of ₹2.40 lakh and a recurring grant of ₹0.38 lakh (covering E-content, digital resources, and electricity charges) were allocated for up to two smart classrooms per school for the same period.
Unfortunately, graduates were only informed about the ICT lab recruitment after the Kerala-based Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (Keltron) conducted a screening test. Keltron, a Government of Kerala entity, was awarded the contract to set up 22,932 smart boards and 8,209 high-tech labs in Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. They conducted a computer-based examination on 5 June 2024 to select 8,209 administrators and instructors.
Ground reports from TNIE indicate that the entire recruitment process was conducted in secrecy, with volunteers allegedly handpicked, showing favouritism, and suggesting clear signs of fraud. A district-level official from Samagra Shiksha stated, “Qualified volunteers from Illam Thedi Kalvi with computer skills were contacted directly for screening tests. Those who passed will take the computer-based test and will be recruited upon passing.” In Tiruchy alone, the exam took place in 15 schools.
However, S. Prabhakaran, the State President of the Tamil Nadu Postgraduate Teachers’ Association, has criticized the recruitment process, alleging it was conducted secretly. “Neither Samagra Shiksha, the School Education Department, nor Keltron issued any public notifications regarding the recruitment. The lack of transparency means that local influential individuals could fill the positions,” he said.
Tamil Nadu received funding approvals from the Ministry of Education for 2020, 2021, and 2022, totalling ₹104.3 crores, ₹54.3 crores, and ₹149.9 crores, respectively. In January 2024, the Union Education Ministry’s Project Approval Board sanctioned ₹3,585 crore funds for the State’s Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) program for 2024-25. This allocation includes ₹2,151 crore from the central government (60%) and ₹1,434 crore from the state government (40%).
Political commentators have alleged that the newly recruited instructors were instead assigned data entry tasks, violating central guidelines and misusing allocated funds. Previously, the Supreme Court of India criticized the Tamil Nadu government for its lack of transparency in recruitment. It issued specific directives: The State Government must conduct the recruitment test through an advertised application process and allow candidates to participate through Employment Exchanges, adhering to all appointment rules and reservation policies. In the case of Tamil Nadu Computer SC B.Ed. G.T. Welf. Society v. Higher Sec. Scl. Computer Tech. Assn. & Ors. (2009), the current government’s actions appear to be in violation of these Supreme Court directives.
In June 2024, TN BJP state president K Annamalai criticized Chief Minister MK Stalin for awarding a ₹1,000 crore tender to Kerala’s Keltron instead of Tamil Nadu’s ELCOT. He accused him of failing to implement development schemes, unfulfilled election promises, and attempting to take credit for Union government initiatives.
(With inputs from Maridhas)
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