The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has constituted an independent fact-finding and verification committee to investigate alleged irregularities at four B.Ed colleges affiliated with Barkatullah University in Madhya Pradesh, including colleges not functioning from their declared locations and having inadequate infrastructure. The probe was triggered by media revelations of institutions that existed only on paper.
In an order dated July 15, the NCTE, the statutory body responsible for regulating teacher education in the country, formed a five-member committee headed by former Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of South Bihar, H.C.S. Rathore. The committee has been asked to submit a comprehensive fact-finding report, supported by documentary and videographic evidence, within five working days. The Committee has two members from the Ministry of Education, a member from Madhya Pradesh State Govt, a member from UGC and is headed by a former Vice Chancellor and education administrator.
The members of the committee include Ashima Mangla, Joint Secretary, University Grants Commission (UGC); Bhagwati Prasad Kalal, Director, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education; J.P. Singh, Director, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education; a nominee of the Government of Madhya Pradesh; and Wg Cdr Vijay Rana, Regional Director, Western Regional Committee, NCTE.
Some media reports found major irregularities in three B.Ed. colleges affiliated with Barkatullah University, Madhya Pradesh, including colleges missing from declared locations and inadequate infrastructure. Since these institutions are recognized and regulated directly by the… pic.twitter.com/iLpkCztBw0
— DD News (@DDNewslive) July 18, 2026
The panel was set up following an investigative report by India Today that uncovered glaring discrepancies between official records and ground reality at several private B.Ed colleges in and around Bhopal. As per the report, the listed address led to open farmland, or the buildings were found to be shut for years. One college was found operating from within the premises of a school and a society office.
The colleges under scrutiny are Shri Ram College of Education, Millennium College, Baglamukhi College and and Savior College of Education.
The Shri Ram College of Education’s address is listed as Mugaliya Kot village on Vidisha Road, but the site was found to be an empty field used for grazing cattle with no building or signboard. Millennium College and Baglamukhi College also mention the same land records. While a building was found at the address of Baglamukhi College, it was found to be locked and abandoned for years, and its ground floor was being used as a tailoring centre. As per locals, the college has not reopened after it was closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. On the other hand, Savior College of Education at Bawadiya Kalan in Bhopal does exist, but it shares its premises with a school and a local society office.
India Today visited the colleges after discrepancies were found in inspections conducted across private B.Ed. colleges affiliated with Barkatullah University, on the instructions of the Executive Council of the university. While the preliminary probe found the irregularities, including colleges not found at their listed addresses, an Executive Council meeting of the Barkatullah University on 24th June approved granting affiliation and continuation to 125 private B.Ed. colleges under the university.
Moreover, instead of taking any action for discrepancies, the colleges were asked to submit notarised affidavits declaring that they fulfilled all norms prescribed by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
According to NCTE, the committee reached Madhya Pradesh on July 17 and has undertaken physical verification of all the colleges. As per the notification, it will conduct on-site inspections with geotagged videography and photographic documentation, examine the media-reported allegations, and verify compliance with NCTE norms regarding infrastructure, faculty, laboratories, land, and other requirements.
The committee will also assess compliance with the provisions of the NCTE Act, 1993, NCTE Regulations, and prescribed Norms and Standards, including infrastructure, instructional facilities, laboratories, land availability, faculty strength and other conditions of recognition.
The NCTE has viewed the matter as a serious lapse and stated that strict punitive action will be taken against defaulting institutions after a complete review. The committee has been directed to submit its report within five working days.
“The Department has viewed this as a serious lapse and, accordingly, strict punitive action will be taken against the defaulting institutions, as necessary, after conducting a complete 360-degree comprehensive review,” the NCTE said.
