Karnataka’s government schoolteachers may soon be spared official surveys and census duties if the Karnataka Protection of Teachers from Non-Educational Deployment Bill becomes law. The draft legislation seeks to regulate the deployment of teachers for non-academic activities, particularly during critical periods such as examinations, while protecting them from legal repercussions for refusing such assignments. The proposal has understandably been welcomed by the teaching community.
Over the past two years, Karnataka’s teachers have spent considerable time away from classrooms—conducting a sub-caste survey in May 2025, a socio-educational survey in September-October 2025, house enumeration in April-May 2026 and, since June, the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. The Census is due next year.
For teachers and students alike, this is an extraordinary disruption. And this is not a Karnataka-specific problem. Government schoolteachers across the country are routinely called upon for a range of non-teaching assignments. In the tug between administrative duties and academics, it is regrettable that the latter often gets the short shrift. Schools are left to cope with guest teachers and non-teaching staff, while children from poorer families, who may not have access to private tuition, are particularly vulnerable to learning gaps.
The issue has also reached the courts. While hearing a plea concerning SIR duties earlier this year, the Delhi High Court stressed that the Election Commission must comply with the Right to Education Act and protect teachers from an “unbearable burden”. The Calcutta High Court held that teachers deployed for census duties should be relieved of their school responsibilities, while alternative arrangements should be made for students. The Supreme Court had struck a similar balance in the St Mary’s School case in 2007.
The demands on teachers have undoubtedly multiplied over the years. A working day can involve classroom teaching, preparing students for board examinations, supervising midday meals, invigilation and evaluation, besides administrative responsibilities. At a time when learning loss remains a serious concern and many schools struggle to retain students, taking teachers away from classrooms should be the exception, not the norm.
There are alternatives. Punjab has directed officials to stop deploying government teachers for non-academic duties. The Karnataka Bill proposes drawing personnel from other government departments, public sector enterprises and among retired public employees; unemployed graduates could also be enlisted. Such measures address the problem at its source. Teachers should teach. Protecting classroom time is ultimately not merely about protecting teachers—it is about protecting the education of children who can least afford to lose it.
