18,000 Punjab teachers to be deputed as BLOs for electoral revision, alternative arrangements awaited

Punjab Education Department is planning to rationalise teacher deployment as Block Level Officers (BLOs) for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Around 18,000 teachers out of 1.25 lakh are expected to be deputed as BLOs for the revision, likely in late March or April.

In the past, teachers from single-teacher schools or those with high student-teacher ratios were deputed for election duty or revision of electoral rolls. The education department is identifying such schools and arranging alternative teachers.

A senior education department functionary said a list of such schools was being prepared and arrangements for alternative teachers were being made. The department is expected to keep the State Election Commission informed. Instructions are likely to be issued to Deputy Commissioners-cum-Returning Officers.

The Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) president, Vikram Dev, highlighted issues from last year’s Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti election, where hundreds of teachers were pulled out for duty, affecting schools. In some districts, 30-40 teachers from single schools were assigned duty, including math, science, and commerce teachers. Women teachers were posted 70-100 km away with unclear overnight stay and return arrangements.

The primary school in Machhiwara block, Ludhiana, had three of four teachers deputed on BLO duties when Education Minister Harjot Bains conducted a surprise check. Bains had previously asked the Chief Secretary to stop deploying teachers for non-academic work, saying their classroom presence was “non-negotiable”.