Chandigarh, March 5: The Punjab Education Department is preparing to rationalise the deployment of approximately 18,000 teachers as Block Level Officers (BLOs) for the upcoming Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The process, expected to commence in late March or April, will involve a significant portion of the state’s 1.25 lakh teaching workforce.
Departmental officials stated that measures are being taken to ensure that classroom instruction remains a priority. In previous years, the deputation of staff from single-teacher schools or institutions with high student-teacher ratios led to significant academic disruptions. A senior functionary affirmed that a comprehensive list of such schools is currently being prepared to arrange for alternative staffing.
“The department is expected to keep the State Election Commission informed, and instructions are likely to be issued to Deputy Commissioners-cum-Returning Officers,” a senior official maintained.
The move comes despite previous observations by Education Minister Harjot Bains, who asserted that the presence of teachers in classrooms is “non-negotiable.” During a prior surprise check in Ludhiana’s Machhiwara block, the Minister noted that three out of four teachers at a primary school were away on BLO duties.
“The government had previously requested that the Chief Secretary stop deploying teachers for non-academic work,” the department official stated.
The Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) has expressed concern regarding the logistics of such deployments. DTF President Vikram Dev declared that in past elections, science and math teachers were frequently pulled from their duties, and women teachers were often posted in distant locations without adequate arrangements for overnight stays.
