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Karnataka Govt Schools Face Enrolment Dip Amid Staff Crunch, Learning Loss Due to Non-Academic Duties
M
Moneycontrol•24-09-2026, 17:01
Karnataka Govt Schools Face Enrolment Dip Amid Staff Crunch, Learning Loss Due to Non-Academic Duties
- •Karnataka government schools are experiencing significant disruption and learning loss due to teachers being deployed for non-academic duties like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
- •Teachers, acting as Booth Level Officers (BLOs), are involved in voter verification and data collection, leading to classrooms being used as offices and reduced teaching time.
- •This deployment, following other surveys, has led to an academic year described as a "complete washout" by teachers, impacting student learning more severely than during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- •The repeated diversion of teachers for non-educational tasks exacerbates existing staff shortages and could lead to a further decline in government school enrollment as parents consider private alternatives.
- •The Karnataka Education Department is preparing a Bill to protect teachers from non-educational deployments, aiming to prioritize classroom continuity and prevent ad hoc assignments.
Key Questions Answered
Government schools are facing disruptions because teachers have been deployed as Booth Level Officers for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls from June to October 2026, leading to significant learning loss.
The proposed Bill aims to prioritize classroom continuity by establishing a district-wise Non-Teacher Public Duty Roll, restricting the use of teachers for surveys and data entry, and limiting deployments during critical academic periods.
The continuous deployment of teachers for non-academic duties has caused severe learning loss and disruption, which academicians warn could lead poorer families to shift their children to private schools and negatively impact future enrolment.
