Schools that exist only on paper, teachers who never teach, and credentials bought instead of earned.
Public money is paid for schooling that does not happen, while a parallel market sells degrees that were never studied for — draining budgets and destroying trust in merit.
A “ghost school” appears in government records with a building, a budget and staff salaries — but has no working classroom, no students, or no building at all. A “ghost teacher” collects a salary without ever showing up. Alongside this, a market in fake degrees sells diplomas, transcripts and even fictitious universities to people who want a qualification without the study.
Both feed on the same weakness: records are trusted, but rarely verified on the ground.
No child is taught — but every rupee is spent.
| Type | How it works | Who pays the price |
|---|---|---|
| Ghost school | Listed and funded; building absent or shut | Children with no school nearby |
| Ghost teacher | Salary drawn, attendance faked or absent | Pupils left untaught; honest teachers |
| Paper / exam leak | Papers sold before the exam | Students who studied honestly |
| Fake degree | Diploma bought from a mill or forger | Real graduates; patients/clients of fakes |
| Bogus university | Unaccredited body issues ‘degrees’ | Buyers misled; the job market |
When a surgeon, teacher or engineer can buy a credential, the danger is not abstract — it shows up in collapsed buildings, failed treatments and a generation that cannot read.
This report is an educational explainer. It describes how this form of corruption generally works and how it can be reduced. It is not an allegation against any specific person or institution. Figures are illustrative unless cited.