On camera, parent catches teacher asking for bribe for admission

Mumbai: The lengths parents are forced to go to for securing their child admission in a school have stretched way beyond standing in endless queues and facing one rebuff after another.

So much so that a beleaguered mother was compelled to carry out a sting operation on a corrupt teacher, who asked for bribe in exchange for an admission.

The alert mother, Archana Bajaj, an Ambernath resident, not only did the surprise expose of the sleaze prevalent in the education system, but also registered an official complaint with the Ambernath police against the teacher, who allegedly showed up at Archana's house to conduct the underhand deal.

Archana had first approached Fatima High School in Ambernath to secure a seat for her 18-month-old son, Shreyas, in April.

Since then, she and her husband, Vishal, paid regular visits to the school, only to be rudely brushed aside by the school's management every time.

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Archana claims she persisted because she knew the admissions were not full. Incidentally, she is an alumna of the school.

So, despite brusque rejections, she persevered in trying to convince authorities to grant her toddler a seat.

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Last Saturday, she cheered up a little after succeeding in getting an audience with the school's principal, Father Andrin. Later, she said she should have known better.

Curt dismissal
"I pleaded with the Father to consider giving my child admission. I knew there were vacancies because he had offered one to other parents in front of me. But he asked to me to go away.

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He said to me, 'No one can challenge me. Even if you go and stand at the gates until next year, you will not get an admission,'" said Archana. "I told the Father that I am a former student of his school but he did not listen to me."

She was about to resign to her fate, when, on her way back home after yet another curt rebuff, Archana encountered a school staff who mentioned that a teacher called Tulip could help her with the admission.

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Said Archana, "I met Tulip who told me she could arrange for a seat for my child if I pay her Rs 25,000 as donation. She also said that a cut would go to the Father."

The sting
Archana agreed to pay the amount, and a meeting and venue were fixed for the next day. On Sunday, Tulip visited Archana's residence to collect the dough. Archana, however, paid her Rs 5,000 and promised to pay off the balance late in the night.

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Before leaving, Tulip also demanded that Archana reimburse her auto rickshaw fare, about Rs 200.

What she didn't realise was that Archana had recorded the whole episode on a secret camera. The footage (CD with MiD DAY) clearly shows Tulip taking the money.

Having captured the incriminating incident, Archana paid the school another visit. Expectedly, this time, she wasn't the one sweating with anxiety.

"We met the Father again and showed him the CD. This time, very politely, he told us that he would enquire into the matter. I have complained in writing to the local police station and to the assistant commissioner of police," said Archana.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Smita Pathak said, "I have met the child's parents and received their complaint. The school is a private organisation so it is difficult for the police to take action. The matter concerns the education department. But I am trying to do what I can."

The Other Side
Despite several attempts, the teacher, Tulip, was unreachable for comment. She did not respond to MiD DAY's text messages or calls. When MiD DAY called up the school to speak with the principal, the authorities said Father Andrin didn't "stay back in the school after 9.30 am in the admission season".