CBSE management association top officers accused of scam

The executive council, which met the other day, removed Indira Rajan and G Rajmohan from the posts of general secretary and working president pending inquiry. 
Representational image of CBSE schools
Representational image of CBSE schools

KOCHI: Serious allegations of misuse of official status and corruption have been levelled against two top office bearers of Kerala CBSE Management Association by the executive council of the same organisation. The executive council, which met the other day, removed Indira Rajan and G Rajmohan from the posts of general secretary and working president pending inquiry. 

According to Ibrahim Khan, president, Kerala CBSE Management Association, there have been widespread complaints against the duo as to how they siphoned off money in lieu of a sports meet conducted under the aegis of the Kerala Sports Council. “It has come to the notice of the association the duo had bypassed and broken many laws when it came to the conduct of the sports meet. They have scammed the schools in the state of crores of rupees,” he said. 

“A group of parents filed a complaint with the Vigilance Commissioner seeking an inquiry,” he said. According to him, similar allegations were raised when the sports meet was conducted by the Kerala Sports Council for the Central schools in the state last year. “An inquiry is going on into the allegations. It is said funds running into crores have been misappropriated by the authorities concerned,” he said.

He said, “One of the falsehoods being propagated by the people behind the meet is grace marks will be given to students who win the events at the meet. But it has to be noted the grace mark system has been done away with.” The students are being enticed into participating in the events. “Also, in a circular issued by the Central Government in 2017, it was said the sports meet for the CBSE schools is to be conducted by the board directly. So, at this juncture, the entire gamut of conducting a separate sports meet elicits suspicion,” he said.

The association alleged the general secretary and the working president used the letterhead of the organisation to send circulars regarding the sports meet. “However, when this came to our notice, we called the duo up and sought an explanation as to why the association was not notified about the sports meet since they were office-bearers of the same,” he said.

According to K M Harris, convenor, core committee, the letter that was sent to the schools last year was signed by Kerala Sports Council president T P Dasan and general convenor Indira Rajan. “However, this year the letter has been signed by Indira Rajan as general convenor and G Rajmohan as convenor, state finance committee. Who had appointed them? And without the knowledge of the association?” asked Harris.

“When asked Indira said she was selected to the post as an individual and has nothing to do with her status as the general secretary of the association,” he added. He said much time has not passed since the conduct of the Central School Sports Meet held as per the direction of the Union Government. “So, what’s the need to conduct another meet? And that too without proper approvals?” he asked. The association said, “Letters have been sent to the CBSE, state sports minister and other offices seeking an inquiry into the corruption charge.”

“We have demanded an investigation into the management of funds collected for the 2017 meet and also as to what happened to the money collected from the schools in order to conduct the 2018 event,” said Khan.

Indira Rajan refutes all allegations 

Kochi: Refuting all the allegations made by Kerala CBSE Management Association, Indira Rajan said, “I had never requested either the district committees of the association or the members of the association for the collection of funds for conducting the district-level Central School Sports Meet, either in the capacity as the general secretary of the association or in the capacity as general convener of the Kerala State Central School Sports Meet 2017-18.”

“Please note, neither I nor the president of the Kerala Sports Council has individually or jointly, requested the district committees of the Kerala CBSE School Management Association or CBSE-affiliated schools exclusively to collect funds,” she said. She said the Kerala State Central School Sports Meet 2017-18 was not an event that was exclusive for CBSE-affiliated schools. “It was meant for all the Central syllabus-oriented schools, including Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya, ICSE & CBSE.

Hence, the allegation that this sports meet was under the joint auspices of the Kerala State Sports Council and Kerala CBSE School Management Association was totally baseless and therefore misleading,” said Indira. Meanwhile, on being selected as general convenor of the Kerala State Central School Sports Meet 2017 -18, she said, “I was not nominated as a representative of the Kerala CBSE School Management Association but for my individual contributions to the educational sector and that too through a telephonic invitation.

Therefore, the question for intimating the association in this regard is of least relevance.” “The association has accused me of not presenting a proper audit of the funds. I answer my rationale on the allegation. However, in the capacity as the general convener, I have collected information from various district committees and will be furnishing the correct position.,” she said.

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