An association of state-run and state-aided school heads in West Bengal on Sunday demanded a thorough probe into the controversy surrounding the alleged misappropriation of funds allocated for purchasing tablets for higher secondary students.

The Advanced Society for Headmasters and Headmistresses (ASFHM) urged the state’s school education department to conduct a proper probe, particularly from a cybercrime perspective.

They also requested that the heads of educational institutions be excluded from "non-academic activities" in the future to prevent harassment and mental stress, which may arise from any controversies related to misallocation of benefits meant for students.

In a letter to the principal secretary of the school education department, ASFHM raised concerns over reports that the Rs 10,000 allocated for purchasing tablets for each plus-two student had not reached the intended recipients, particularly in districts like Purba Medinipur.

The association deemed this issue a matter of "critical concern," citing it as a potential indicator of "security vulnerabilities" within the Banglar Siksha portal, which is managed by the education department's Bikash Bhavan.

ASFHM general secretary Chandan Maity told PTI that such misallocation could only occur if the database containing student details—including banking information—was tampered with.

He pointed out that the OTP-based login for 'Taruner Swapno' (Dream of the Youth) project only verifies the finalisation of the list but does not prevent the modification of bank details or the creation of fake student profiles, which is beyond the control of school heads.

Maity emphasised that headmasters and headmistresses only act on the list provided to them, and thus are not responsible for any discrepancies.

The alleged irregularities came to light after the Purba Medinipur district administration lodged complaints against four headmasters, accusing them of misappropriating funds meant for legitimate students by channeling the money into other accounts. Similar reports have surfaced from Malda and Purba Bardhaman districts.

"We are verifying the list of beneficiaries, and legal steps will be taken against those identified as involved in any malpractices," a senior education department official said.

However, the ASFHM has expressed concern that school heads are being unfairly accused, particularly in the Purba Medinipur case, where four headmasters were implicated in the misallocation of tab funds.

Maity further claimed that in July 2024, the association had raised concerns about unauthorised changes to student accounts with the district inspector's office, only to be told that server issues were the cause. However, their investigation revealed that frequent credential changes by staff, as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), were exacerbating the issue.

In their letter, the association also highlighted the mental toll these ongoing controversies have taken on school heads.

"We request the government to relieve us from non-academic projects, schemes, and activities, as we lack the competence and resources to deal with these challenges," the letter stated.

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