Nagpur Education Scandal: Only 1 Valid Teacher Approval Found in 431 Cases
A shocking education department scam probe in Nagpur division has revealed that only one teacher out of 431 cases examined possessed valid individual approval documents during the Shalarth ID scrutiny. The remaining 430 approvals were declared invalid after a detailed hearing process, exposing what officials describe as large-scale irregularities in the generation of Shalarth IDs and disbursement of government salary grants.
Investigation Triggered by Cyber Police FIR
The scrutiny began after FIR No. 0024/2025 was registered on March 12, 2025, at the cyber police station in Nagpur. The complaint alleged that Shalarth IDs were created without proper approval orders and salaries were released from the treasury without authorization. This investigation led to the arrest of multiple officials, including four senior-level officers, Class-1 and Class-2 rank officers, Class-3 employees, a teacher, a non-teaching staff member, and several management representatives.
Massive Inquiry Covering Six-Year Period
An inquiry covering the period between March 31, 2019, and March 31, 2025, was ordered by the commissioner of education. Under this investigation, a total of 1,056 teachers and non-teaching staff were examined. Of these, only 383 had Shalarth IDs formally issued through official orders. In 632 cases, no records of individual approval or Shalarth ID files were available in the office of the education officer (primary), zilla parishad, Nagpur.
Hearing Process Reveals Alarming Absenteeism
Hearings for these 632 cases were conducted from September 16, 2025, and concluded on January 30, 2026. During these proceedings, only 195 teachers and 165 headmasters appeared to present their cases. After scrutiny of documents, 431 cases were decided, and just one teacher—Sunil Sadashiv Govardipe—was found to have valid approval based on available records. His salary, which had been stopped from March 2025, was subsequently restored.
Serious Deficiencies Uncovered in 430 Cases
In the remaining 430 cases, officials noted multiple serious deficiencies:
- Absence of original approval files
- Missing advertisements for recruitment
- Lack of school resolutions
- No appointment or joining reports
- Mismatches in inward register entries
- Appointments dating back to 2010–2015 despite salary payments commencing only after 2019
Recovery Actions and Legal Responsibility
With the approvals declared invalid, the education department has initiated recovery of salaries already paid to these individuals. The department has also fixed responsibility on concerned headmasters and school managements under the Maharashtra Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Regulation Act, 1977, and Rules 1981. This action represents a significant crackdown on fraudulent practices within the education system.
The scale of irregularities uncovered suggests systemic failures in oversight and verification processes. The investigation continues to examine additional cases and identify further instances of improper approvals and salary disbursements. Education officials emphasize that this scrutiny aims to restore integrity to the teacher approval system and ensure that government funds are distributed only to legitimate, properly vetted educational staff.
