Probe finds backdate affiliation of 14 schools
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 18 2023: Follow-up investigation into the affiliation of 29 schools in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts with CBSE found backdate affiliation of at least 14 schools while NOCs for schools in Churachandpur district were found to be signed "for" (on behalf of) the ZEO.

Source said that out of the 16 schools of Churachandpur, which were newly affiliated under CBSE, 11 were granted approval before and five amid the ethnic flare-up in the state.

In Kangpokpi district, three schools were granted approval before and 10 during the crisis.

Affiliation of 14 schools from both the districts were granted before the crisis.

In general, CBSE affiliation is granted from April 1 of a year and in this case, 14 schools were granted approval for affiliation from April 1, 2023 and 15 from April 1, 2024.Interestingly, the NOCs for the 14 schools from both districts approved from April 1, 2023 were found to have been issued in June and July this year.

And yet, their approval for affiliation was granted from April I, around three months before issuing the NOC, which raises a serious question.

On the other hand, the source further said that the ZEO of Churachandpur district is N Tikendrajit Singh but the signature on the NOC was not his.

Someone else signed the NOC using the term "for" and there were different signatures in different NOCs.

The application for seeking affiliation with CBSE for the schools had an accompanying letter from Churachandpur District Private Schools and Colleges Association addressed to the chairman of CBSE.

In the letter, the association sought affiliation citing displacement of Kuki-Zo people following arson activities and possible loss of academic career of the students.

On the other hand, the NOCs for schools in Kangpokpi district were signed by the ZEO, Lingtinneng Singshit.

Applications of a few schools had copies of letters addressed to the education commissioner of the state government seeking NOC for CBSE affiliation.

Whether or not the commissioner approved the application is not known as of now.

Earlier, on Saturday, education minister Th Basanta Kumar said that ZEOs of both district denied issuing NOC for the schools.

Stating that ZEOs are not authorised to issue such NOC as approval of the minister and commissioner concerned is mandatory for the same, the minister declared that necessary actions will be taken up to cancel the affiliation and appropriate actions processed against the ZEOs if they were lying.

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