In a decisive administrative move, Indore Divisional Commissioner Deepak Singh has suspended District Education Officer (DEO) Sushma Vaish with immediate effect for repeated absence from public hearings and failure to address complaints related to CBSE schools. The action was taken on the recommendation of Indore Collector Ashish Singh, who has now appointed Joint Collector Vijay Kumar Mandloi as the interim District Education Officer to ensure the smooth functioning of the department.
According to sources, numerous complaints were being received at the public hearings held at the Collectorate, particularly regarding issues faced by students and parents of over 250 private CBSE schools in Indore, but the DEO remained absent, causing mounting frustration among the complainants.
These schools collectively cater to nearly eight lakh students, and it is estimated that major CBSE institutions in Indore collect Rs 150 to Rs 200 crore annually in fees from students across all classes — from LKG to Class 12. Despite such high fees, parents and students often face coercive behavior from school managements. Parents allege that if they raise concerns about school rules or assert their rights, school principals and administrators threaten to expel their children mid-term.
Similarly, teachers and staff employed in these schools are reportedly subjected to pressure and intimidation. Several teachers have alleged that speaking up about basic rights or administrative issues has led to sudden termination of their services, often without notice or explanation, disrupting their professional stability.
Frustrated by this high-handedness, parents, teachers, and school staff have attempted to seek redressal, but claim that no dedicated CBSE official is available in Indore. They are often told by local officials that matters related to private CBSE schools fall outside their jurisdiction.
Compounding the issue is the absence of a CBSE regional office in Indore. At present, the only CBSE office in Madhya Pradesh is located in Bhopal, which oversees nearly 2,500 CBSE-affiliated schools across the state. Affected individuals in Indore say they cannot afford the time or financial cost of traveling to Bhopal repeatedly to register and follow up on complaints.
In response, citizens of Indore are demanding the establishment of a dedicated CBSE office in the city, along with the presence of CBSE officers during weekly public hearings at the Collector's office. They have also urged authorities to set up a special grievance cell within the Collectorate to record and forward complaints from parents, teachers, and school staff to the CBSE offices in Bhopal and Delhi, and allow local tracking of complaint resolutions.
This administrative shake-up and public demand reflect growing concerns over the unchecked autonomy of private CBSE schools and the urgent need for institutional accountability mechanisms at the district level.
The suspension of DEO Sushma Vaish is being seen as a warning to other administrative officials to take public grievances seriously, especially when they concern education and children's welfare. Indore Collector Ashish Singh reportedly expressed concern over the rising number of unresolved complaints from parents and teachers, stating that education-related issues must be given priority in public hearings, especially in a city like Indore which is home to a vast network of private schools.
Meanwhile, education activists and parent associations have welcomed the swift action taken by the district administration but stressed the need for systemic reforms. They argue that without proper oversight and accountability, private CBSE schools often operate like autonomous bodies, with little regard for fair treatment of parents, students, or staff. “We need transparent redressal systems and regular audits of CBSE schools to protect educational rights,” said a representative of a local parent group.