46% Class IV posts vacant in Karnal govt schools

Nearly 46% of sanctioned Class IV posts — sweepers, peons, chowkidars, water carriers, and gardeners — in government schools across Karnal district remain vacant, severely affecting day-to-day functioning, maintenance and campus safety.

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According to data accessed by The Tribune, out of 616 sanctioned posts, only 330 have been filled, leaving 286 posts unoccupied. The acute staff shortage has led to poorly maintained school premises and growing safety concerns, particularly in the absence of chowkidars during non-working hours.

In many schools, teachers are stepping in to fill the gap by hiring private helpers — often at their own expense. “We have hired a chowkidar-cum-sweeper at Rs 8,000 per month. All the teachers contribute monthly to pay his salary. We have raised the issue with higher authorities, but no action has been taken, forcing us to take this step,” said a teacher from Government Senior Secondary School in the Indri block.

In some cases, village panchayats have intervened and arranged for such services locally. However, both teachers and school management committees say these are only stop-gap arrangements, and permanent recruitment is urgently needed.

Ramesh Kumar, district president of the Haryana School Lecturers Association (HSLA), said the lack of support staff is hampering both operations and upkeep. “Some schools have already hired private staff, but teachers have to bear the expenses themselves. We urge the government to fill all vacant posts, as part-time employees are only a temporary solution,” he said. He also warned that schools without chowkidars are vulnerable to theft, with valuable equipment left unsecured.

A senior education official acknowledged the issue and confirmed that while a few peon posts were recently filled, the majority of Class IV vacancies remain untouched due to limited recruitment over recent years.

District Education Officer (DEO) Karnal, Sudesh Thukral, admitted the shortage. “In some schools, the local panchayats or teachers have arranged for these services. Recently, we received Class IV staff who have been assigned to various schools,” he added.