Correspondent

A large number of teachers working in Delhi government schools are currently being deployed as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. In a democracy, a clean and updated electoral roll is essential for free and fair elections. Teachers have always played a commendable role in this process and have fulfilled every election-related responsibility with full dedication.

However, the critical question that needs serious consideration today is whether it is justified to impose such an extensive additional electoral workload on teachers along with their regular teaching duties. Does this burden remain limited to teachers alone, or does it directly impact students’ education, teachers’ health, and their family lives as well?

Recently, during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Mr. Ashok Aggarwal in the Delhi High Court, it was highlighted that students’ learning is being adversely affected due to teachers’ SIR duties. This concern is valid. When a teacher’s time and energy are significantly diverted towards election-related work in addition to school responsibilities, it inevitably affects the teaching-learning process.

During the hearing, concerns were also raised regarding the impact on teachers’ physical and mental health if BLO duties are continuously assigned after school hours, on weekends, or during holidays. On the other hand, the Election Commission submitted that BLO duties are performed after school hours or on holidays, and that honorarium and refreshment facilities are also provided.

Undoubtedly, an honorarium is paid for election duties. However, the core issue here is not merely the amount of remuneration, but the balance between workload and compensation. If a teacher, after completing 7–8 hours of regular school duties, spends several additional hours daily on BLO work, can this extra labour be fairly valued at an honorarium of approximately ₹33.33 per day? This is not merely an economic question, but also one of dignity of labour and its fair recognition.

A government teacher’s responsibility is not limited to classroom teaching. They are required to prepare lesson plans, evaluate answer sheets, conduct examinations, manage various administrative tasks, and perform several additional duties. On top of this, conducting door-to-door voter verification, collecting documents, and handling other election-related responsibilities makes their working day excessively long and exhausting.

The situation becomes even more challenging when a large number of female teachers are assigned the same responsibilities. Many female teachers manage household duties before leaving for school and continue to shoulder domestic responsibilities after returning home. In such circumstances, continuous additional election duties have a significant impact on their physical, mental, and family well-being.

Furthermore, many teachers commute one to two hours daily to reach their schools. Regular school hours, long travel time, and subsequent BLO duties together leave almost no time for rest. When teachers themselves are physically and mentally exhausted, it becomes difficult to expect optimal teaching outcomes from them.

In addition, several serious incidents have been reported in recent times due to extreme stress during SIR duties. In some cases, tragic incidents such as suicides by teachers have been reported, while prolonged pressure and stress have also led to health issues like heart attacks among teachers. This indicates that the workload has become not only physically demanding but also mentally overwhelming.

Moreover, safety concerns during field duties have also emerged. Incidents of misbehavior, phone snatching, and unsafe working conditions have been reported, particularly affecting female teachers. These raise serious questions regarding the safety and dignity of women educators.

The impact of these conditions is also clearly visible on teachers’ family lives. Due to continuous duties and stress, many teachers are unable to devote adequate time to their families, children, and elderly parents, thereby affecting their domestic responsibilities.

The most important question here is that of equity. If election work is a national responsibility, should its burden disproportionately fall on teachers alone? Should employees from other government departments not also be equally involved to ensure that no single group is overburdened? In a democratic system, the distribution of responsibilities must also align with the principles of fairness and justice.

This article does not oppose election duties. Teachers have always been at the forefront of every national responsibility and will continue to do so in the future. The only requirement is to create a system in which students’ education is not compromised, teachers’ health is protected, their family life is respected, and fair remuneration and proper workload management are ensured in proportion to the additional duties assigned.

Today, it is imperative for policymakers to consider this issue with sensitivity. Because only when teachers are healthy, balanced, and respected can they provide better education to the next generation. Both the quality of education and the strength of democracy are equally important. Therefore, it is essential to develop a system that maintains a balance between these two objectives.