Nagpur Teachers Decry NMC's Police Action Threat Over Census Duty Assignment
In a significant development in Nagpur, school associations and teacher union leaders have voiced strong opposition and anger against the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The controversy stems from the NMC's decision to seek police action against school staff members who allegedly refused to perform duties assigned under the ongoing Census 2026-27 exercise.
Demand for Government Employees to Take Priority
The stakeholders argue that census work should primarily be assigned to government employees and teachers from government schools where student enrollment is minimal or negligible. They emphasize that private unaided schools should only be called upon if a genuine shortage of manpower persists after exhausting all available staff from government schools, grant-in-aid institutions, and other government departments.
One of the key points raised is the current academic burden on teachers. With the exam season in full swing, educators are already overwhelmed with academic responsibilities, including internal exams, board exam evaluations, and the commencement of new sessions for classes 9 and 10. This additional non-academic work, they claim, exacerbates their workload unnecessarily.
Stakeholders Voice Their Concerns
Rajabhau Taksale, vice-president of the Unaided Schools Welfare Association, expressed his frustration, stating, "I just don't understand the logic of targeting teachers from unaided schools over census duty. The government must first utilize all teachers from their own schools, then tap into grant-in-aid schools, followed by other government departments. I am confident this approach will provide sufficient extra manpower."
Taksale further highlighted the financial disparity, noting, "Most of our teachers work at the school for 11 months before resuming during the next session. How can we ask them to take up census duty? The government pays hefty salaries to their own teachers, while our schools are completely self-financed. We never receive any grants or financial benefits from the government, yet they are threatening our schools with police action."
Sanjay Tayde-Patil, president of the Maharashtra English State Trustees Association, criticized the NMC's actions, saying, "NMC is exceeding its brief by seeking police action against teachers. If this continues, we will have no choice but to take to the streets in protest against such diktats."
SC Kedia, president of the Unaided Schools Forum, reinforced their stance, asserting, "Our position is very clear: teachers cannot be involved in non-academic works. We have internal exams ongoing, board exam evaluation is in progress, and new sessions have already started for Class 9 and 10. If private unaided school teachers are being roped in, then why not employees of private companies? We are planning to file a writ petition in the high court against the government's actions."
Background of the Issue
The issue gained prominence after the NMC formally wrote to the police, requesting the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against school staff members for allegedly refusing to comply with census duties. This move has sparked widespread condemnation from educational bodies, who view it as an overreach and an unfair targeting of the teaching community.
The associations argue that if private school teachers are being compelled to undertake census duty, the government should also consider involving employees from private companies to ensure equity. They stress that the primary role of teachers is academic, and diverting them to administrative tasks undermines educational quality and teacher welfare.
As tensions escalate, the possibility of legal action and public protests looms large, with stakeholders determined to challenge what they perceive as unjust governmental overreach in Nagpur's educational sector.
