India
Former IAS Officer Saman Shekhar Abandons Bungalow to Launch Education Reform Campaign
Former Indian Administrative Service officer Saman Shekhar, a 2002 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre officer, retired in 2023 after more than 20 years in the civil services. He relinquished all government perks, including his bungalow, and now lives in a three‑bedroom flat. Shekhar declined a World Bank job offer to focus on improving education in his home state. On November 15, he will launch the ‘Saman Shiksha Jan Yatra’ in Madhya Pradesh, a 10‑day campaign that will start in Balaghat, travel through Chhindwara, Betul and Narmadapuram, and finish in Bhopal on November 25. The tour aims to bring reforms to government schools by reducing non‑academic duties for teachers and addressing inequality between private and public schools. Shekhar plans to draft the ‘Saman Shiksha Jan Sankalp’ in Bhopal, outlining a five‑ to seven‑year roadmap for education reforms to be submitted to the state government. He has served as District Collector in six districts—Alirajpur, Dindori, Betul, Balaghat, Jhabua and Ratlam—and as Commissioner of the Jabalpur Division from September 28, 2020, to April 4, 2023. His last posting was Secretary at the Madhya Pradesh Secretariat. Shekhar holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Production Engineering. The initiative is reported by Bhaskar English.