Ex-CM Kamal Nath alleges 'irregularities' in teacher transfers in Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal, July 10 (IANS) Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Thursday launched a strong attack on the BJP-led state government, alleging large-scale irregularities in the recent transfer of over 7,000 school teachers.

Kamal Nath accused the government of running a transfer-posting racket in collusion with middlemen and officials.

He alleged that only those teachers who paid bribes were able to secure transfers, while many eligible candidates were ignored.

“Over 45,000 teachers had applied through the government’s School Education Department portal for voluntary transfers, but only 7,000 were approved. This indicates that only those who paid money got transferred, while genuine applicants were left out,” Kamal Nath claimed, citing media reports.

The allegations relate to a recent statewide reshuffle of teachers from primary to higher secondary schools, where transfers were made for those who had served over five years at a particular school.

Kamal Nath alleged that the state's online transfer system, Education Portal 3.0, meant to ensure transparency, has been subverted. He claimed that middlemen were acting as brokers, collecting money from teachers to influence postings.

Under the current system, the district collector and the minister in charge of the district play crucial roles in the transfer process. In the voluntary transfer process, applications submitted online are reviewed at the district level and approved with the digital signature of the district education officer.

Ironically, the inclusion of ministers in the process a few years ago was intended to prevent irregularities and enhance transparency.

The BJP swiftly rejected the allegations. Ashish Agrawal, Madhya Pradesh BJP’s media in-charge, dismissed Kamal Nath’s claims as politically motivated.

“During Kamal Nath’s 18-month tenure, Vallabh Bhavan (the state secretariat) had turned into a full-fledged transfer industry. Now, under the BJP government, transfers are being handled transparently and verified at multiple levels,” Agrawal said.

He further alleged that the Congress party, rattled by a string of electoral defeats, was trying to malign the image of the ruling government.

--IANS

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