BMC Orders 2,000 Teachers for Election Duties, Sparking Concerns

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has directed 2,000 teachers to take on block level officer (BLO) duties for election-related work. As per the orders, teachers are expected to spend three days a week on BLO duty and the remaining three days in school.

With the academic year in progress, many teachers have expressed concerns about their prolonged absence from schools, especially since first unit tests are currently underway. One teacher pointed out that being away for half of the week is unfair to students, as schools are already grappling with a shortage of teachers due to delays in hiring new staff.

The orders, issued on August 15, specify that teachers should perform their BLO duties on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, while attending school from Mondays to Wednesdays. All 2,000 teachers assigned to these duties were instructed to report to their designated localities by 3 pm on Friday.

Teachers have sought support from Anil Bornare of the BJP Teachers’ Association. Bornare criticized the BMC’s decision, highlighting that other government staff are available for election duties. He added that the sudden orders result in significant academic disruption, urging the BMC to reconsider and withdraw them, as “2,000 teachers” is a considerable number to lose from the classroom.