Academic activities in numerous government schools across Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district have been severely impacted as the state government has assigned a significant number of teachers to duties related to the ongoing Census operations. This move has raised considerable concern among students, parents, and educationists regarding the deteriorating quality of classroom instruction.
Information obtained from various educational institutions within the district indicates that approximately half of the teaching staff in several schools have been deputed for census work. This substantial reduction in available manpower has left these schools with insufficient personnel to conduct regular classes, with the situation being particularly acute in senior secondary institutions where specialized teachers are crucial for students in board classes and those preparing for competitive examinations.
Students from Class IX to XII are reportedly bearing the brunt of this teacher shortage. Lectures in core subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, English, commerce, and computer science are either being conducted inconsistently or have been temporarily suspended in certain schools. The remaining teaching staff are reportedly struggling to manage multiple classes and administrative responsibilities simultaneously, leading to a notable academic deficit for the students.
Parents have voiced their apprehensions, highlighting that the current academic session is at a critical juncture. They fear that the prolonged absence of teachers could adversely affect their children’s performance in the upcoming board examinations. Many parents have also pointed out that government schools in rural areas are facing exacerbated difficulties, as their already limited staff strength has been further diminished by the deputation orders.
Students themselves have expressed their frustration over the frequent disruptions to their studies. Numerous students preparing for the Class X and XII board examinations have reported a considerable slowdown in syllabus completion and an inability to get their doubts adequately addressed due to the extended unavailability of subject teachers.
School authorities have acknowledged the challenges in managing academic activities owing to the shortage of teaching staff. In some instances, principals and headmasters have resorted to taking classes themselves to compensate for the reduced teaching strength. However, they concede that effective academic schedules cannot be maintained until the deputed teachers return to their posts.
Teachers’ organisations have reiterated their long-standing concerns about the assignment of non-academic duties to educators. They argue that in addition to their primary teaching responsibilities, government school teachers are frequently deployed for election duties, surveys, disaster management assignments, and census operations, all of which directly compromise the quality of education being imparted in schools.
Education experts have weighed in on the matter, acknowledging the importance of the census as an administrative exercise while emphasizing that the academic interests of students should not be compromised. They suggest that the government should consider deploying separate temporary staff for such duties or ensure that teacher deputation is carried out in a phased manner to minimize disruptions within the educational institutions.
With the approaching deadlines for board examinations and syllabus completion, parents and students in Kangra district are appealing to the Education Department to implement immediate corrective measures and reinstate normal teaching activities across the affected schools.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
