Complaining that election duty could lead to delay in checking SSC exam papers, a majority of members of the Maharashtra teachers' association has decided to approach state education minister Vinod Tawde and seek release of duty during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Members of Maharashtra state board teachers' association, who are assigned with checking test papers, have been assigned election duties through letters.
Doing such heavy election duty will automatically lead to delay in checking the SSC exam papers, the teachers said. As the Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held from April to May, the teachers have started receiving letters to perform poll duties.
"The teachers are asked to take over as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers. They are called much before the election starts. This affects their actual work of correcting papers. Teachers are sent to such places where they get no food or toilet facilities," Rajesh Pandya, vice-president of Teachers Democratic Front said.
"The teachers are called as Zonal officers to make all arrangments of election work. We are going to meet the education minister tomorrow to request him to exempt all teachers from election duty work. Or else this will delay the state board exam results this year. I have received eleven teachers complaint that they have been appointed for election duty work. Some teachers have to correct 1000 papers at a time and that will get delayed if they are called for election work," Shivnath Darade, secretary, Shikshak Parishad, Mumbai, said.
The teachers have also alleged that they are asked to come to school even the day following the election. "The HSC teachers have not yet come forward with a complaint. However, the junior college teachers' associations have written a letter to the state government authorities to exempt them from election duty work," said, Anil Deshmukh, President, Mumbai Junior College Teachers' Union (MJCTU).