The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Delhi has issued a firm clarification, refuting widespread reports that school teachers across the national capital have been assigned the duty of counting stray dogs. The denial comes after significant backlash from educators' groups, who had criticized the alleged move as a distraction from core teaching responsibilities.
Official Clarification and the Actual Directive
According to a report by India Today, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has dismissed the claims of teachers being used for a canine census. Instead, the department has directed schools and other educational institutions to nominate nodal officers who will act as points of coordination for issues related to stray dogs in their respective areas.
A circular from the DoE's Caretaking Branch instructed District Education Officers (DEOs) to compile details of these nominated officers from schools, stadiums, and sports complexes. The information required includes the officer's name, designation, contact number, and email ID. The DoE emphasized that individual school submissions are not needed; only consolidated reports at the district level must be sent to the office of the Delhi Chief Secretary.
Public Safety and Supreme Court Directives Cited
The education department stated that this exercise is fundamentally linked to public safety and compliance with directives from the Supreme Court. The DoE order specifically references the apex court's ruling dated 7 November and subsequent instructions from a meeting held on 20 November. The Directorate has mandated that this task be treated as a top priority matter.
Teachers' Associations Voice Strong Opposition
Despite the clarification, teachers' associations had earlier expressed strong reservations about any such duties. As per a PTI report, they argued that involving educators in non-academic exercises diverts them from their primary teaching duties, particularly during the crucial period when pre-board examinations are underway.
Sant Ram, president of a government teachers' association, acknowledged that teachers have always risen to the occasion, as seen during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, he stressed that assigning them non-teaching tasks on working days is unfair to students. "If teachers are allowed to focus only on education during school days, it will be in the best interest of society and the country," Ram told PTI. He suggested that such duties could be assigned during vacations, but diverting teachers during the academic session is an injustice to children.
This is not an isolated incident in India. Similar directives to involve teachers in animal-related administrative duties have been issued previously in several states and Union territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, and Chhattisgarh.
