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With final examinations underway and academic responsibilities peaking, schools across the state are grappling with a growing staff crunch as educators are assigned to census-related duties. Educators say that even though census work is scheduled to begin in May, teachers have already been engaged in training sessions and data verification tasks through April, leaving them stretched at a crucial time in the academic calendar.

April is typically one of the busiest months for schools, with oral and written examinations, paper corrections, report card preparation, and summer school planning underway. The addition of census-related responsibilities has intensified pressure on teaching staff.

Teachers stretched

According to members of teachers’ associations, a significant number of teachers have been assigned census-related work. Teachers have also been tasked this month with verifying student enrolment data across schools in the state. Educators fear that additional academic activities, such as summer schools and extra classes, may be affected.

“The authorities are very stringent with these duties, and teachers are given no leeway. We are repeatedly told that failing to meet these responsibilities may lead to an FIR,” Mahendra Ganpule, former head of the Principals’ Association.

April academic workload

Oral examinations: First week of April
Written examinations: April 11 to April 22
Paper correction and report cards: To begin soon
Summer schools and scholarship activities: Last week of April
Results declaration: First week of May

Principals flag staffing concerns

An in-charge of a school in South Mumbai
‘We run a school with few children and only two teachers. One of our teachers has been assigned multiple duties at once, and we have no clarity on how long these tasks will continue’

The principal of a school in suburbs
‘A majority of my teachers are above 50 or 52 years of age, which is why we have not faced major disruption so far. Only a few younger teachers have been assigned BLO duties’