In MP's Ratlam, Class 12 Students Walk 8 Km To Meet An IAS Officer

In Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, an incident involving students from Kanya Shikshak Parisar has gained huge attention. A group of Class 12 students set out on foot to the IAS officer, located 8 km away, to attend a public hearing and lodge a complaint against their teacher.

Upon hearing this, the IAS officer Rajesh Batham, immediately dispatched the SDM and ADM with a car to pick them up. However, the students refused the ride, insisting they would walk the entire distance to meet him.

When informed of their decision, Collector Rajesh Batham personally went to meet the students halfway, but they remained firm, saying they would only present their complaint after reaching the collectorate on foot. Respecting their resolve, Rajesh Batham returned to the office to wait for their arrival.

Once arrived at the collectorate, the students voiced their problems with their education. They expressed that the physics and chemistry teachers at their school were not teaching properly, and despite multiple complaints, no action had been taken. Frustrated by the inaction, they decided to make the 8-kilometre walk to ensure their concerns were heard.

In response, Collector Rajesh Batham took swift action by suspending the school’s principal and issuing a notice. He also ordered the replacement of the two teachers. After hearing their complaint, Batham provided the students with refreshments and arranged for a government vehicle to transport them back to school.

Rajesh Batham, the current collector of Ratlam, hails from Bhopal and is a 2012 batch IAS officer with a BE in Civil Engineering. He assumed the role of Ratlam collector on March 11, 2024.

In another incident, IAS officer Keerthi Jalli became an internet sensation after her pictures of visiting the flood-hit areas in Assam’s Cachar district went viral on social media. In a series of pictures and videos, IAS Keerthi Jalli can be seen walking barefoot through the muddy water in the flood-hit area and talking to the residents affected by the natural disaster.

Awanish Sharan, a 2009 batch IAS officer, shared a picture of the Assam-based officer and praised her efforts. The picture showed IAS Jalli with her muddy feet smiling while standing in a boat next to another woman.