RTE scam in Ahmedabad: 140 parents busted for faking income certificates to secure free private education

In a significant breach of the Right to Education (RTE) scheme, 140 parents in Ahmedabad have been found using fraudulent income certificates to secure free private schooling for their children. The District Education Officer (DEO) acted promptly, cancelling the admissions and restoring opportunities for deserving families.

The RTE scheme in Gujarat provides free education in private schools for children from economically disadvantaged and middle-income families, specifically targeting those with an annual parental income of no more than Rs 1.5 lakh for students in Classes 1 to 8. However, the actions of these parents undermined the scheme’s purpose, denying genuine beneficiaries their rightful access to education.

During a verification process, it was discovered that the annual incomes of these parents significantly exceeded the stipulated limit. Schools, including Udgam, Jaber, RP Vasani, Global International, and Calorex’s KN Patel, identified discrepancies after cross-referencing income documents, such as income tax returns.

When questioned about the discrepancies, some parents claimed they had inflated their income figures to facilitate loan approvals, while others openly acknowledged their higher earnings.

DEO Rohit Chaudhary stated, “The income of the parents of these 140 children was found to be above Rs 1.5 lakh, violating the scheme's rules.”

As a result of these cancellations, the affected parents now face two choices: either pay the full fees at their current private schools or transfer their children to other institutions. This situation may lead to an increase in revenue for private schools, as they can now charge full tuition for the vacated spots.

The DEO’s decisive actions have been lauded for upholding the integrity of the RTE scheme, but this incident underscores the urgent need for more rigorous verification of income certificates during the admissions process.