3 Manipur education officers suspended over alleged CBSE affiliation fraud

Three key education officers have been suspended nearly a month after the CBSE cancelled the affiliation of 25 schools in Manipur over alleged paperwork fraud.

The Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) action came on December 20, 2023 after the state government alerted it had not given no-objection certificates (NOC) to the schools to apply for affiliation in the first place.

The CBSE bylaws make it a legal requirement for state board schools to get NOCs from the state government before applying for central board affiliation.

The Manipur education department in a statement on Friday said Churachandpur zonal education officer (ZEO) Jangkhohao Haokip, Kangpokpi ZEO Lhingtinneng, and district inspector (DI) of school L Taithul of Churachandpur's Samulamlan village have been suspended.

The Directorate of Education in the state capital Imphal has taken charge as the headquarters of the two ZEOs and the DI of schools.

The Kangpokpi ZEO's work will now be handled by the Saitu DI of schools Joshi Lamkhohat Haokip as an additional responsibility.

Eleven of the 25 schools got CBSE affiliation in the period between May 2020 and May 2023, and 14 received affiliation in the past eight months. The state government, however, said it had not given NOCs to any school since May 2020.

Manipur Education Minister Th Basanta had met the Union Education Ministry secretary and given a letter explaining the issue, following which the CBSE cancelled the affiliations of the 25 schools.