Telangana: Fear of Academic Disruptions with Teachers on Census Duty
Hyderabad: Several students and teachers organisations have voiced objections at the state government’s decision to entrust government school teachers with caste census duties while going in for single-shift schools. The move, intended to facilitate census activities, has prompted them to demand a reversal, urging the government to maintain the regular school schedule to avoid disruptions to students’ education.
“Imposing a single shift and redirecting teachers for surveys will severely impact the studies of underprivileged children,” stated Abhinav S.K., a student leader with SFI.
Another student leader from OU said that students from government schools, many of whom rely on consistent schooling as their only access to education, stand to suffer greatly.
“Teachers should be allowed to continue their regular duties, ensuring education proceeds unhindered,” added T. Nagaraju, SFI’s state secretary.
The concern is worsened by the fact that many government schools function with only one or two teachers, who have to handle several subjects.
“This arrangement leaves no room for further disruptions,” L. Murthy said.
The current academic year has already seen considerable loss due to rainfall-induced holidays, further delaying syllabus completion.
“Primary education forms the foundation of learning, and any interruption will disproportionately harm poor students,” Abhinav added.
They have proposed alternatives such as rotational or shift-based schedules to mitigate the impact.
In a parallel, the Telangana United Teachers’ Federation (TSUTF) along with other teacher groups expressed willingness to support the caste census initiative but insist on ensuring minimal disruption to school activities.
In a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, TSUTF representatives stressed the importance of conducting the survey without interfering with teaching and learning processes. “We are fully supportive of the government’s initiatives but urge that education must not be compromised,” stated TSUTF leaders.
They suggested that the government must consider conducting census survey on Sundays and holidays, with compensatory casual leave (CCL) for participating teachers.
“If unavoidable, a short period of school closure towards the end can be announced to complete the survey,” proposed one of the teachers Jangayya, adding that the remuneration for survey duties should be a dignified amount.