A government school teacher in Gurdaspur district died by suicide on Tuesday morning, marking the first death in Punjab linked to stress from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The teacher, identified as Gurpreet Singh, jumped into the Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) system near his school in Bhaini Mian Khan.
Teacher Cited SIR Stress Before Suicide
Gurpreet Singh, who worked at the government primary school in Bhaini Mian Khan, informed a colleague, Gurpartap Singh, that he was under tremendous mental stress due to the SIR exercise and intended to take his own life. According to the colleague, Gurpreet said, “I am parking my car near the canal and am going to jump into the water.”
A video of the colleague’s statement has gone viral on social media. After news of the suicide spread, scores of villagers, relatives, and colleagues rushed to the canal site. Gurpreet’s relatives and some local youth dived into the canal to search for his body, which was recovered from Tugalwal five hours later.
Teacher’s Wife Also in Government Service
Gurpreet’s wife is also a government school teacher, adding to the family’s tragedy. The incident has highlighted the intense pressure faced by teachers assigned as booth level officers (BLOs) for the SIR exercise, which involves the revision of electoral rolls.
Many teachers have complained about unrealistic deadlines, lack of proper training, and overwhelming workloads associated with the SIR process. Sources indicate that the stress is compounded by the threat of disciplinary action against field staff who fail to meet quotas or submission targets.
Broader Implications for Teacher Welfare
This incident has sparked concern over the mental health of government teachers in Punjab, who are increasingly burdened with administrative duties beyond their teaching responsibilities. The SIR exercise, aimed at updating voter lists, has been criticized for its demanding timeline and inadequate support for frontline workers.
As of now, no official statement has been released by the Punjab education department or the district administration regarding the incident. However, the viral video and widespread media coverage have put pressure on authorities to address the issue of teacher stress and workload.
