COIMBATORE: The school education department has initiated a department inquiry against the deputy director (DD) of TNSCERT R Geetha who was previously the Chief Educational Officer (CEO) of Nilgiris over various charges.
School education department officials began the inquiry after the All Private Schools Welfare Association (APSWA) filed a complaint against Geetha in November 2024.
In the complaint letter, Association president Mayadevi Shankar alleged that when Geetha worked as the District Educational Officer (DEO) for private schools in Coimbatore in 2022, she took money from private schools in the name of renewing the school’s recognition and did not take any steps to renew the recognition of some schools. When the school authorities asked her about the renewal, she threatened them.
The complaint further stated that Geetha got a job at the school education department by producing fake community certificates, and she also took bribes from candidates appointed as teachers at aided schools when she was Nilgiris CEO.
Mayadevi told TNIE that though there were various allegations against Geetha for many years, and multiple petitions were submitted against her, officials from the school education department failed to conduct an inquiry against her. As officials failed to take action, she misused her power in Coimbatore and Nilgiris.
She added, “Following this, we filed a complaint against her with the Chief Minister’s Public Grievances Redressal. Two months ago, she was transferred to the deputy director’s post. However, the DD and CEO posts are of the same rank.”
Meanwhile, in response to the complaint, the school education department stated that it ordered a departmental inquiry against Geetha.
According to official sources, the inquiry committee headed by a Joint Director has been constituted and he has started an inquiry about this matter. Repeated attempts to reach Geetha went in vain.