The Orissa High Court has expressed serious concerns over assigning teachers non-teaching duties, stating such practices cannot come at the expense of students’ right to education. The court made these remarks during a public interest litigation (PIL) hearing in late December, highlighting systemic issues in Odisha’s schools.
Court Questions Teacher Deployment
The PIL, filed by Bijaya Ram Das through advocate Anup Kumar Mohapatra, exposed widespread problems. It cited an upper primary school in Cuttack district with 112 students. This school operates with only three teachers, including the headmaster, because staff are frequently deployed as Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators (CRCCs).
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M.S. Raman, noted that teachers often spend nearly half of a month on CRCC responsibilities. This directly disrupts regular classroom teaching. The court stressed these deployments are not isolated incidents but a consistent practice across Odisha, negatively impacting the learning environment in government schools.
Right to Education Act Violation
The High Court referred to Section 27 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 . This law states teachers cannot be assigned non-educational work, except under limited, legally permitted circumstances. The court found extensive CRCC deployments violate this fundamental provision, asserting that the primary role of a teacher is classroom instruction.
While the state argued that CRCC duties aim to improve education quality, the court maintained such initiatives must not undermine core classroom teaching. It suggested these coordination tasks should occur after school hours or during holidays, aligning with the original intent of the legislators who drafted the Act.
Odisha Government Ordered to Respond
The court has directed the Odisha government to file a comprehensive affidavit. This document must detail the exact number of CRCCs currently deployed, their specific working hours, the extent of teacher participation in these roles, and all associated executive instructions. The next hearing for this matter is scheduled for January 13 . The court indicated that more extensive directions may follow, contingent on the state’s official response and adherence to the court’s observations.
Wider Problem: Teachers on Election Duty
The issue of teachers performing non-teaching work extends beyond CRCC assignments. Thousands of teachers across multiple Indian states are also engaged in the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. These teachers are appointed as booth-level officers (BLOs), diverting them from their primary teaching duties.
In states like West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu, primary and secondary school teachers report significant challenges. They are forced to abandon classrooms for extended periods to conduct door-to-door voter verification, fill out complex forms, and upload data. Teachers describe facing tight deadlines and issues with glitchy mobile applications, adding considerable stress to their responsibilities.
This situation mirrors concerns raised in other regions, where teachers advocate against non-teaching roles, describing themselves as “not typists.” The Orissa High Court’s intervention underscores a national challenge where essential teaching time is diverted, potentially impacting students’ academic progress and the overall effectiveness of the education system.