Bhopal: Diggy writes to CM, seeks CBI probe into teachers' hiring scam

All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijaya Singh wrote a letter to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, urging him to recommend a CBI inquiry into the irregularities in the recruitment of contract teachers in MP.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday wrote a letter to chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, urging him for recommending a CBI inquiry into the irregularities in the recruitment of contract teachers in the state.

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In his letter, Singh has mentioned that the professional examination board (PEB) had issued the advertisement for selection of 80,000 contract teachers across the state in the year 2011-12.

This selection had to be made under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2008. Hence, the Centre had provided the funds to the state government and the recruitment had to be conducted through National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) and as per NCTE rules.

However, the rules were changed in the state and the recruitments were conducted in a non-transparent manner, which led to large-scale corruption, the letter further says.

Singh mentions that as per government of India's circular, the qualification for recruitment of teachers for the Class 6-8 was BA/BSC and one-year BEd as per the prevalent NCTE rules, which was changed by state government to 'minimum 45% in graduation and BEd according to NCTE 2002 regulations. Also, the maximum age for applying was changed.

The letter further says there were discrepancies in English and Hindi versions of the amended NCTE rules. According to Singh, this injustice with the candidates was clearly part of a conspiracy of the racket functioning in the PEB. "It is a high-level criminal conspiracy and it should be investigated through CBI," Singh has written to Chouhan.