Bihar education department initiates 'Operation Clean Up'

Patna: In the wake of raging intermediate toppers scandal, Bihar's Education department has taken up the 'Operation Clean up' initiative as part of grand secular alliance government's agenda to provide "quality education" in the state.

"We (department) will be initiating 'Operation clean up' in order to maintain the standard of education in the state... We have received complaints regarding (private) B.Ed colleges with regard to their functioning. All the 228 B.Ed colleges will be probed. DMs and SPs have been asked to carry out a physical verification of these colleges," Education Minister Ashok Choudhary told reporters here.

Choudhary was speaking on the sidelines of 'World Day against Child Labour' event.

Both DMs and SPs will do a joint inspection of B.Ed colleges and submit a report giving details as what are the numbers of enrolled students and teachers besides infrastructure facilities and also whether regular classes are held, the minister said.

"We will ensure that quality in B.Ed course...And after it, we (department) will inspect 10+2, degree colleges and even coaching institutes in order to ensure whether or not norms laid down for imparting quality education is being adhered to...Grand secular alliance government is committed to provide quality education," Choudhary said.

Amid the allegations that a single teacher has his name as faculty member in several colleges, he said the department has sought 'Aadhaar' (card) of the teachers appointed in these 228 colleges.

After the 'toppers scandal' was unearthed by the media last week, there have been reports of affiliated colleges and schools misusing government funds.