Election Duty Depletes Teaching Staff, Cripples School Operations
The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal has plunged numerous government-run schools into a severe staffing crisis. Thousands of teachers, appointed as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) by the Election Commission, are now occupied with extensive door-to-door visits, leaving classrooms empty and academic activities in disarray.
This situation compounds an existing problem. Many schools were already operating with reduced strength after the Supreme Court in April scrapped the 2016 West Bengal Staff Selection Commission (WBSSC) panel, a decision that led to the termination of approximately 26,000 teachers across the state.
City Schools Struggle with Teacher Absence
The impact is starkly visible in Kolkata's institutions. At the Narayan Das Bangur Memorial Multipurpose School, 13 out of 34 teachers have been assigned BLO duty. The school's only Group C staff member is also on election work, forcing Headmaster Sanjay Barua to perform those duties himself.
"I have no other choice," Barua stated. "We are an integrated school with primary, secondary, and high secondary sections. The primary wing is the most affected, as five of eight permanent teachers are now BLOs." He expressed deep concern about checking exam papers on schedule and managing upcoming Madhyamik enrollments amidst the crunch.
The story is similar at Jadavpur Vidyapith, where eight of its 46 teachers are on BLO duty. Headmaster Partha Pratim Baidya explained that between BLO assignments, leaves, and unfilled vacancies, around 15 teachers are absent daily. "This means 60 to 70 classes are hampered every day," he said, adding that while BLO work is important, student learning is suffering as syllabi remain incomplete.
Rural Schools Face Complete Shutdown Threat
The crisis is even more acute in rural areas. At Halara Primary School in Jamalpur, East Burdwan, the situation is dire. All four teachers have been deployed as BLOs, putting the education of its 112 students at risk.
Headmaster Sujit Bag described an "overwhelming" workload. "Since November 4, it has become nearly impossible to conduct classes. To prevent a total shutdown, we are taking turns to visit the school," he said, highlighting their effort to maintain the mid-day meal scheme. The block inspector has temporarily assigned a single teacher from a nearby school to manage Halara Primary alone.
Retired headmaster Dr. Supriyo Panja from The Park Institution highlighted subject-specific crises. With one computer science teacher on BLO duty and the lone chemistry teacher also assigned SIR work, he warned that Class 12 exam preparation is being severely hampered.
Dr. Swagata Basak, Headmistress of Taki Boys in Kolkata, reported that over 20 of her 38 teachers have BLO duties, with five more kept as reserves. The primary section has been forced to hold classes on alternate days. Some dedicated teachers with BLO duties still come to school, but they are enduring "tremendous pressure" to manage both responsibilities.
The collective testimony from educators across West Bengal paints a worrying picture of an education system buckling under the dual pressures of electoral responsibilities and a pre-existing staffing shortfall, with students' academic futures hanging in the balance.
