Bengaluru, 11 September

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), on Friday flagged major issues in Karnataka’s public schooling infrastructure, including nearly 50 per cent of the teacher being absent for SIR duty, crumbling infrastructure and dirty toilets. 

Co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka, has been in Bengaluru for the last three days as part of its nationwide “School Thik Karo” campaign, and said that the “pressure group” will visit all 31 districts of Karnataka to audit the conditions of schools. 

“The school in Varthur that we inspected had a roof that was about to collapse, and work on it started the very next day,” Ranka told reporters in Bengaluru. 

He pointed out that public toilets in the schools were a major issue. The schools in Varthur and JP Nagar that he had visited were found to be in "very poor" condition, he said, adding that there was a huge shortage of cleaning staff and that the toilets were not cleaned for weeks at a time.

But the main issue was that 50 per cent of the teachers were absent as they were busy doing work related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll. 

“This is directly affecting the schooling of children and directly affecting education. If the Election Commission wants to run its propaganda, it can absolutely do so. If it wants to remove voters, let it remove them. But at least leave the children alone; at least leave the teachers alone,” he claimed.

Ranka and CJP members had also met Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa late on Thursday. Ranka said it was a cordial meeting, but the CJP was waiting to see how Karnataka’s Education Department responds. 

KPSC Leak

Ranka also expressed solidarity with candidates impacted by irregularities in KPSC recruitment exams, and said the CJP would raise the issue in the coming days. 

He claimed that the incidents of paper leaks across the country are being carried out by an "organised" mafia.

“Our team is currently trying to understand this issue in greater detail," he said.

There have been alleged irregularities in the KPSC recruitment examination for veterinary officers. The CID is probing allegations of irregularities in the recruitment examination, including the handling of examination records, OMR sheets and the role of involved officials and others.