https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Controversy Erupts Over IAS Officer’s Remarks on Student Cleaning Duties in Telangana Welfare Schools – Know the Matter

The officer is allegedly heard instructing school principals to make students perform cleaning duties, including washing toilets and maintaining hostel rooms, as part of their daily routine
Indian Masterminds Stories

A controversy has erupted in Telangana after an audio clip, purportedly featuring Dr. V.S. Alugu Varshini, a 2012-batch IAS officer of the Telangana cadre and Secretary of the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS), went viral on social media on May 28. In the clip, the officer is allegedly heard instructing school principals to make students perform cleaning duties, including washing toilets and maintaining hostel rooms, as part of their daily routine.

Also Read: Bihar: CM Nitish Kumar’s Gesture Towards IAS Officer Sparks Outrage, Laughter

Dr. Varshini reportedly made these remarks during a recent review meeting, defending the practice as an element of the state government’s “holistic education” model. She criticised some principals for hesitating to assign students such tasks due to potential parental backlash. “If any parent objects, tell them it is my order,” she was allegedly heard saying. She justified the move by stating that many students come from underprivileged backgrounds and need to learn essential life skills like cooking, sweeping, and cleaning, which would help them manage independently after leaving school.

In the audio, she downplayed the extent of the workload, claiming that students would spend no more than 20 hours over six months on these tasks. “This is not hard labour,” she asserted. “They are not from posh families where food appears at the snap of a finger.”

She also defended a case where a student was asked to make rotis, saying it was a valuable learning experience. “What’s wrong with that?” she asked. “I’ll post such pictures in the principals’ group for others to follow.” The officer recalled performing similar duties as a student, referring to it as Shram Daan (voluntary service), and warned parents against threatening school staff. “If they do, I will issue a show-cause notice and send their children away,” she said.

The clip triggered a strong backlash from child rights advocates and political opponents, who accused Dr. Varshini of promoting exploitative and discriminatory practices. Critics argued that forcing children—especially those from marginalised communities—to clean toilets undermines the objectives of the Gurukul system and violates several child protection norms.

Citing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the Right to Education Act (2009), they pointed out that such practices amount to degrading treatment and could reinforce caste- and class-based hierarchies, besides causing psychological harm and increasing dropout rates.

The Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) strongly condemned the officer’s statements. MLC Ms. K. Kavitha accused the Congress-led government of promoting an “anti-poor” and “anti-Dalit” agenda. She alleged that the previous BRS government had allocated Rs. 40,000 per month to each welfare school for hiring four cleaning staff, but those funds had been withdrawn since August 2024. Additionally, assistant caretakers were removed from 240 schools, forcing children to take on tasks like kitchen duties.

“This is not just insensitive—it’s exploitative,” Ms. Kavitha said. “It reflects the Revanth Reddy-led government’s disregard for marginalised communities.” She demanded Dr. Varshini’s removal and immediate restoration of the cleaning and support staff to ensure a dignified and inclusive environment for students. Dr. Varshini has not made any public statement on the matter so far.

Also Read: Fake IAS Officer from Hyderabad Acquitted in Rs. 4 Lakh Fraud Case


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar’s Bold Leap: CM Nitish Kumar Pledges 1 Crore Jobs and Women’s Empowerment Boost
8th pay commission
Big Breaking! 8th Pay Commission May Merge DA With Basic Pay: A Historic Salary Reform Set to Reshape Government Pay Structure
ONGC_resized
ONGC Launches 2025 Apprenticeship Program with 2,623 Vacancies — Empowering India’s Youth for Energy Sector Careers
PNB-resized
PNB Unlocks Rs 1,007 Crore by Selling 10% Stake in Canara HSBC Life Ahead of IPO — Strategic Move to Strengthen Core Operations
ONGC_resized
India’s State-Run Oil Giants Invest Rs 46,600 Crore in Five Months — ONGC and IOC Lead Push for Energy Infrastructure Growth
CIL & IIT Madras Tie Up
Coal India and IIT Madras Join Forces to Launch ‘Centre for Sustainable Energy’ — A Major Step Toward India’s Net-Zero Future
Rajasthan-Police
Rajasthan: 34 IPS Senior Officers Transferred in Major Reshuffle; New DG Post Created in SOG-ATS, Sachin Mittal Made New Police Commissioner of Jaipur
IRTS logo
Senior IRTS Officer Ranjan Prakash Thakur Prematurely Repatriated from ONGC to Parent Cadre for Promotion
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
UPSC Journey Should Be Enjoyable, Not Cumbersome
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
The Many Facets of Former IRS Officer and Author, Giselle Mehta | Video Interview
IDES Saquib Alam
Beyond IAS and IPS: The Inspiring Work of an IDES officer | Video Interview 
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Rupal Rana UPSC
How Rupal Rana Cracked UPSC CSE 2023 with AIR 26 After Four Attempts
UPSC Topper Rupal Rana secured AIR 26 in 2023 after four attempts. Learn her preparation strategy, booklist,...
Ankita Parashar RAS 2023
4 Attempts, 1 Dream, 0 Excuses: Meet RAS Topper Ankita Parashar, Who Fulfilled a Daughter’s Promise & Secured Rank 2 | Exclusive Interview
Ankita Parashar, a teacher-turned-officer from Pushkar, fulfilled her late father’s dream by securing...
Kushal Chaudhary RAS
From Lab Assistant’s Grit to Rajasthan Topper: How Kushal Chaudhary Topped RAS 2023 with Self-Study | Preparation, Strategy & Interview
Kushal Chaudhary, a farmer’s son and lab assistant from Ajmer, topped RAS 2023 through self-study, overcoming...
Social Media
IFS Parveen Kaswan
Heartbreak by the River: 15-Day-Old Elephant Calf Rejected by Mother, Rescued by IFS Parveen Kaswan and His Team
Jaldapra, West Bengal: In a moving incident that tugs at the heart, a 15-day-old elephant calf was rescued...
Ashwini Bhide IAS and Anand Mahindra
Who Is IAS Ashwini Bhide, Hailed as a Role Model for Mumbai Metro Transformation by Anand Mahindra?
From heritage to high-tech: Bhide’s leadership in Metro Line 3 earns public praise and admiration
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar’s Bold Leap: CM Nitish Kumar Pledges 1 Crore Jobs and Women’s Empowerment Boost
8th pay commission
Big Breaking! 8th Pay Commission May Merge DA With Basic Pay: A Historic Salary Reform Set to Reshape Government Pay Structure
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
IDES Saquib Alam
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT