The Rajasthan education department has initiated the process of compiling a list of teachers and staff allegedly involved in tobacco and alcohol consumption, as well as harassment cases. This follows an announcement by Education Minister Madan Dilawar last month that strict action would be taken against those engaged in such activities.
Official Order and Format
An order issued by the office of the Director of Elementary Education on Monday states that the list is being prepared under the direction of the Education Minister. The list will include personnel within schools and offices of the education department who engage in any form of addiction, including alcohol, tobacco, gutkha, or have been involved in obscene conduct. The department has issued a format requiring details such as name, employee ID, designation, area of posting, type of addiction, and action taken against them.
Teachers Raise Concerns
Teachers have expressed concerns about how district education officers will compile such a list in the absence of formal complaints. Vipin Prakash Sharma, state president of the Rajasthan Primary and Secondary Teachers Association, stated, “There should be proper guidelines or criteria for identifying such personnel. How will the education officer know if any personnel are involved in such activities outside the school? If any incident takes place within the school, the principal reports it to higher authorities anyway.”
Background of the Initiative
On April 9, while addressing the media in Jaipur, the Education Minister announced that the department would prepare a list of all employees across state government schools and within the department who consume intoxicants, tobacco products, gutka, etc. However, the minister did not clarify what action would be taken against such personnel once the list is prepared. The state education department has been actively working to curb tobacco use in schools and nearby areas. On March 6, in a meeting with teachers associations from across the state, the minister appealed to teachers to ensure no consumption of tobacco in any form in schools.
