NEW DELHI: At least 29 teachers’ training institutions of Andhra Pradesh are under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) scanner for allegedly submitting false building completion certificates and fabricated the list of faculty and staff. The CBI in its preliminary enquiry has said that regional director of Southern Regional Committee (SRC) of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), P Revathi Reddy allegedly conspired with the Andhra-based institutions in granting the recognition.
The NCTE is a statutory body under the Centre, established with the aim of achieving planned and coordinated development of the teacher education system. According to the report, SRC officials in connivance with institutes offering B.Ed and M.Ed courses violated the guidelines. It is alleged that despite inadequate built up area, the institutes were given recognition.
“In spite of non-submission of proper land records and building completion certificate, the institutes were given recognition. The building completion certificates, which were not approved by competent authorities, were accepted by the SRC, NCTE,” the CBI documents said. CBI officials said Sri Vidyanikethan institute, Rajiv Gandhi Teacher Training Institute, Sai Prathibha College, Padmavathi College of Teacher training are among the 29 institutions being probed.
As per the CBI, documents seized from SRC office in Bengaluru reveal that 638 institutes were granted recognition for 937 teachers’ education courses in 2016. According to NCTE, institutes seeking recognition for a teacher’s training course for one unit should have a minimum built-up area of 1,500 SQ metres and a land area of 2,500 SQ metres. One unit in the guideline refers to an intake of 50 students. The regulations also stipulate that there shall be provision for not less than two classrooms, one multipurpose hall and three laboratories for conducting instructional activities. CBI documents said that Sree Sarada Education Rural Development & Animal Welfare Society of Anantpur had fraudulently applied for grant of recognition. The probe agency said the institute did not have the infrastructural facilities required for grant of recognition. The application was rejected in August last year but the institute submitted a false building completion certificate. Subsequently, the institute was granted recognition. CBI said SRC regional director Revathi Reddy abused her position to issue recognition.