Online complaint behind move to restrict use of social media

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 21

The Punjab government has restricted the use of social media by government teachers and other employees during working hours. But senior Education Department officials and Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema are not in favour of an outright ban.

The restriction was imposed after an online complaint to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said: “The innocent public is harassed due to the behavour of the employees working at Suvidha Centres……Most of their duty time is spent on social media i.e. Whatsapp or Facebook and the disappointed public has to go to agents for routine services. Moreover, various teachers are found on Facebook during duty hours...”

The Deputy Chief Minister forwarded the complaint to his Special Principal Secretary, Rahul Tiwari.

Tiwari, in turn, issued directions to the Principal Secretary, Education, C Roul, and all deputy commissioners to ensure compliance of the Deputy CM’s letter and submit a report.

Tiwari, when contacted, said the government would now on keep a watch on government officials to ensure they did not ‘misuse’ the social media. An inquiry would be conducted if any complaint in this regard was received. “Receiving a message is okay, but sending messages, photo uploads or status updates is not acceptable,” he said.

Roul confirmed said an advisory had been sent to about 25,000 government schoolteachers. “If someone is caught indulging in such activities, a show-cause notice will be served,” he said.

In the same breath, he maintained that it was “impossible’ to keep a tab on 1.25 lakh teachers.

“Self-regulation is the best solution. Any such activities have a negative impact on students. Our sole objective is to ensure that teachers focus on teaching and nothing else,” he said. Director-General of School Education (DGSE) GK Singh said he was not aware about any such directions.