Ludhiana: Mark teachers skipping Census duty absent, MC told education department

Government teachers union general secretary Prabhjit Singh said several teachers who had received exemptions on medical or other genuine grounds were now being called back for duty

The municipal corporation (MC) recently directed the education department not to mark the attendance of teachers who failed to report for census work and also ordered that their salaries be withheld until they comply with the duty orders.

Jasdev Singh Sekhon, assistant commissioner, said that only those teachers whose reasons for exemption were found to be not genuine had been recalled for duty. (HT File)

In a letter issued on May 23 by the office of the assistant commissioner-cum-census charge officer, Zone-D, MC, Ludhiana, the district education officer was informed about 66 teachers from government primary, high and senior secondary schools who remained absent from census duties. The communication stated that these teachers should not be marked present in their respective schools until they report for census work. It further instructed that their salaries be withheld until a no-objection certificate is issued by the concerned municipal corporation office.

The move has sparked resentment among teachers’ unions, which alleged that many of the teachers named in the list had already been exempted from duty by a committee constituted by the deputy commissioner.

Government teachers union general secretary Prabhjit Singh said several teachers who had received exemptions on medical or other genuine grounds were now being called back for duty.

One of the affected teachers, requesting anonymity, said school heads were refusing to mark their attendance without a no-objection certificate from the municipal corporation. “We had already been exempted earlier, so we do not understand why we are again being forced to join. We approached the concerned office, but nobody heard us,” the teacher said.

The letter further described census work as a “time-bound and highly important government assignment” and warned that negligence could invite disciplinary action against both the employees concerned and the heads of schools.

Clarifying the administration’s stand, assistant commissioner Jasdev Singh Sekhon said that only those teachers whose reasons for exemption were found to be not genuine had been recalled for duty.

“We were facing a shortage of staff. Genuine cases have already been exempted and their list will be sent to the district education officer on Wednesday. If others also have valid reasons, they can submit their representations to the office,” he said.