TEACHING AFFECTED DUE TO ENGAGEMENT OF TEACHERS IN CENSUS WORK

TEACHING AFFECTED DUE TO ENGAGEMENT OF TEACHERS IN CENSUS WORK

4-MAY-ENG 7

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA---------------------------With the majority of teachers being deputed as enumerators and supervisors for the 2027 Census of India, academic activities in schools are being adversely affected. There are numerous schools where—with the sole exception of the Headmaster—every other teacher has been deputed to serve as an enumerator or supervisor. Consequently, teaching and learning activities in these institutions have come to a complete standstill. In some schools, even the Headmaster has been assigned to census duties. In schools where 75 percent of the teaching staff has been deputed for census work, Headmasters have apprised departmental officials of the ground reality and sought guidance regarding the management of school operations under such circumstances. While District Education Officers in other districts have issued formal orders directing teachers deputed for census work to perform these duties *after* completing their regular school duties, no such directive has been issued in Bhojpur. On the contrary, the officers in charge have issued letters directing teachers deputed as enumerators and supervisors to mark their attendance as "On Duty" and proceed with census work—a situation that has left the concerned teachers in a state of confusion.