Poll duty to hamper admissions in Rajasthan schools

The State Election Department's decision to depute government teachers for election duty has created problems in the enrolment of students in schools. In many schools, over 80 per cent teaching staff have been deployed as Booth Level Officers (BLO) to conduct field survey, thus leaving behind only one or two teachers in schools.

Whenever elections are scheduled in Rajasthan, the teachers are deputed for election duties, which includes door to door survey, draft and revision of electoral rolls, etc. Meanwhile, the employees engaged in other departments are preferred less for such duties as the teaching staff is easily available in huge numbers.

Although, while deputing teachers for election duty the authorities seem to hardly care for education of students. According to the orders released by the election officers, over 80 staffers posted in many schools in Jaipur have been deputed for election duties, leaving the principal or a teacher with the task of teaching students.

An election duty order released by Sanganer Election Returning Officer (ERO), of which DNA has a copy, over half-a-dozen schools have been directed to relieve their 80 to 90 per cent teaching staff for election duties.

For instance, six out of eight teachers posted in Upper Primary Sanskrit School, Mansarovar have been designated as BLO to conduct election duty. Similarly, eight teachers from Upper Primary Sanskrit School, Sector 6, Pratap Nagar have been asked to be relieved.

Vipin Prakash Sharma, senior vice-president with Rajasthan Prathmik Madhyamik Sikshak Sangh, has condemned the irrational decision of election authorities of deputing teachers in a higher ratio, which is likely to cost students dearly.

"The schools are opening on June 19 with Praveshotsav (enrolment drive). As the teachers have been deputed in the election duties the drive is likely to be affected. It would make the students move to private schools as government teachers won't be able to counsel them by visiting their homes," said Sharma.

Currently, the second revision programme of electoral rolls is on in Rajasthan as per the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI).