Telangana High Court Directs State Government to File Counters in Education-Related PILs
The Telangana High Court issued directives on Tuesday, instructing the state government and the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan project director to submit formal responses in a public interest litigation (PIL) that alleges fraudulent and arbitrary allotments under the PM Shri Schools and Samagra Shiksha Schools programs for vocational education in the state.
Allegations of Fraudulent Fund Allotments in School Bidding Process
The PIL, initiated based on a letter addressed to the chief justice, calls for a detailed and time-bound inquiry into the accusations. It specifically seeks directions for an investigation into alleged violations of bidding norms by officials from the school education department.
The first PIL contends that officials from the school education department collected substantial sums from bidders and allocated funds to favored individuals. This alleged misconduct reportedly led to an abrupt disruption of the bidding process for the 2024-25 academic year, undermining the integrity of the system.
The letter further elaborates that the Union government, with the intention of providing technical knowledge to underprivileged and needy communities, allocated funds for establishing PM Shri Schools and Samagra Shiksha Schools. According to the PIL, the Telangana government called for bids to establish 946 schools across the state, out of which bids for 500 schools were approved, raising concerns about the transparency of the selection process.
Separate PIL Highlights Lack of Toilets in Government Schools
In a separate but related development, the High Court also directed the state government to explain its position within three weeks regarding another PIL that alleges a severe lack of toilet facilities in a government school located in the Jogulamba Gadwal district.
This PIL was initiated based on a letter to the chief justice, which itself was prompted by a news article published in a vernacular daily. The PIL, filed by a law student from Osmania University, highlights the non-availability of toilets at the Zilla Parishad High School in Undavelli mandal and Maldhakal Junior College in Jogulamba Gadwal district. This deficiency has caused significant inconvenience to students, affecting their daily school experience.
According to the PIL, construction of toilets began over two years ago but was halted abruptly due to non-payment of bills to the contractor, leaving the facilities incomplete and unusable.
The PIL further alleges that approximately 400 girl students, along with 20 teachers at the Undavelli Zilla Parishad High School, are suffering due to the absence of proper toilet facilities. It notes that despite assurances from Nagarkurnool MP Mallu Ravi during a school visit, where he promised to sanction 1 crore rupees under corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the works remain pending, exacerbating the plight of students and staff.
The court has adjourned the hearing for further proceedings, indicating ongoing judicial scrutiny of these critical education sector issues in Telangana.
