Massive Education Fraud Exposed: STF Uncovers Fake Teacher Certification Ring in Madhya Pradesh Schools

The Special Task Force (STF) has confirmed that 26 additional teachers remain under investigation. (Representative)

Madhya Pradesh's Special Task Force (STF) has exposed a significant recruitment fraud in government educational institutions, where appointments were allegedly secured using counterfeit Diploma in Education (DEd) marksheets falsified in the name of the Board of Secondary Education.

The STF has registered a case against 34 teachers, specifically naming eight accused individuals, with seven originating from Gwalior.

According to STF officials, the accused utilized forged DEd marksheets to obtain positions as government teachers and subsequently had these fraudulent documents "verified" using fabricated confirmation letters from education departments. Their investigation has unveiled an organized criminal network involved in producing and distributing these fake certificates to candidates pursuing government employment.

Following directives from Special Director General of Police (STF) Pankaj Kumar Srivastava, a team under Superintendent of Police Rajesh Singh Bhadauria conducted a confidential inquiry into the recruitment procedures. The team examined educational documentation of teachers appointed across multiple districts and discovered that the DEd marksheets were never legitimately issued by the authorized educational board. An STF officer stated, "Both the marksheets and verification reports were completely fraudulent. Proceedings have been initiated against all teachers who obtained government positions using falsified credentials."

The fraudulent appointments reportedly occurred in Gwalior, Morena, Shivpuri, and Indore districts, where numerous teachers had been employed for years based on these counterfeit certificates.

After extensive investigation spanning months, the STF filed an FIR on Tuesday against Gandharv Singh, Sahab Singh, Brijesh, Mahendra Singh, Lokendra Singh, Ruby, Ravindra Singh, and Arjun Singh—all Gwalior district residents—under Sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged document), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

The Bhopal STF Police Station registered the case following a confidential complaint alleging widespread utilization of fake degrees in teacher recruitment processes.

According to the FIR, the eight named accused secured government teaching positions through collusion with certain education department officials who allegedly neglected to verify their credentials during the appointment process.

To investigate the matter thoroughly, authorities formed a five-member special team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Praveen Kumar Baghel. This team examined the DEd marksheets of 34 teachers, revealing that none were legitimately issued by the recognized board, and the verification certificates were also falsified.

STF officials have confirmed that 26 additional teachers remain under investigation, with cases expected to be filed against them once document verification is completed. An STF investigator revealed, "This is a networked operation involving agents, fraudulent education institutes, and intermediaries. The forgery extended to official verification documents, making the credentials appear authentic."

The STF report also indicates potential involvement of Education Department officials who allegedly facilitated these fraudulent recruitments. The department had received a confidential complaint months earlier, alleging that numerous individuals continued serving as government teachers based on fake qualifications.

Investigators suspect the forgery network operated across several districts, enabling aspirants to purchase fake DEd certificates for monetary consideration.

This investigation has created significant concern throughout the state's education system, raising serious questions about verification protocols in teacher recruitment. The STF has committed to identifying the entire network, including those responsible for producing and distributing counterfeit marksheets.