A video of a school principal in Hyderabad allegedly taking a bribe has gone viral on social media.
The incident is reported to have occurred at St George's High School, situated in Moula Ali.
The video appears to be shot by either a student, or the student's relative, where the principal can be seen asking for money to fudge certain numbers.
Claiming that the student had missed his internal exams and also had low attendance, the principal can be seen saying that she would have to change the student's marks, before she sent it to higher authorities.
In the video, the principal is seen saying, "You are in big problem. Firstly, the student doesn't have attendance. Then he didn't write tests worth 20 marks... With these marks how can he write exam(sic)?"
Following this, a man, presumably the parent, says, "Yesterday, madam said that give Rs 50,000, and maybe settle for Rs 30,000."
The principal also narrates how corruption is rife at every level of the educational system, talking about how money is exchanged at the Mandal level and how she is not the only one that indulges in this.
The Principal said:
If you go and talk now, then it will become more trouble. If you want to speak means, I don’t have a problem. I will make you talk to them, but I can’t give you number… There is one sir in MEO office who has a connection. When the teachers try to bargain with him for the ‘rate’, he says that this was not just for him (sic).
She then quotes the MEO officer as saying that, “To put marks for everyone, I have to ‘feed’ everyone. It is not just in my hands or just my table. There are four or five tables, who also need something.”
Saying that she doesn’t know what exactly happens in the office, she adds:
I also don’t talk over the phone… if direct party goes to meet them, then I don’t know if they will meet us or not. They are very careful. Even if we call them to the school, they ask us to put a cloth over the camera before the meeting (sic).
The Deccan Chronicle reported that the parent also called Malkajgiri mandal education officer R Srinivas, informing him of the bribe, following which Medchal district education officer A Usha Rani ordered an inquiry into the incident.
After taking the bribe, the principal suddenly realised that the entire incident was being recorded.
"Delete the video. Show me the phone," she is heard yelling, as the video ends.
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