Revenue dept seeks termination of 142 guest teachers over census duty refusal

Delhi government seeks to terminate 142 guest teachers for refusing census duties, drawing criticism from teachers' body over low pay and systemic issues.

The Delhi government’s revenue department has written to the directorate of education (DoE) requesting the termination of 142 guest teachers working in government schools for failing to comply with their statutory duties as census enumerators, drawing pushback from a teachers’ body.

While census work is an essential role for regular teachers, it is not mandated for guest teachers (HT)

“The difficulties faced due to disobedience and unwillingness of the guest teachers to perform the statutory duty of census enumerators, it is informed that the 142 teachers have refused to perform the abovementioned duty,” said the letter addressed to DoE director Veditha Reddy from the district magistrate (Old Delhi). HT has seen the letter dated April 24.

“It is requested that their services may be discontinued/terminated with immediate effect, as tolerating such acts … will cause subversion of the other staff performing census duty,” it added. The 11-page letter lists 142 teachers, of whom six refused due to a “medical condition.” No reason was specified for the others.

To be sure, this is a recommendation from the revenue department and DoE is not obligated to carry it out. Guest teachers are temporary staff whose contracts typically last one year and are reviewed annually. While census work is an essential role for regular teachers, it is not mandated for guest teachers.

In another letter, dated April 27 and seen by HT, the Delhi Government School Teachers’ Association (GSTA) appealed to education minister Ashish Sood to intervene and withdraw the proposed action.

GSTA general secretary Ajay Veer Yadav said, “The annual contracts of the guest teachers will expire on May 8, and in such circumstances, initiating a harsh and punitive action like termination just prior to the natural expiry of the contract appears contrary to sound administrative principles... There has not been an increase of even a single rupee in the daily remuneration of guest teachers for the past nearly eight years, making the current amount grossly insufficient in present economic conditions.”

He further said refusal to perform these duties should not be viewed as “disobedience or indiscipline,” but rather as a result of systemic shortcomings.

Sood said, “The census and special intensive revision (SIR) are duties of national importance, and everyone is expected to contribute. The decision will be taken on a case-by-case basis, and if there is a genuine medical emergency, an exemption may be considered.”

Some teachers who spoke to HT on condition of anonymity said they have not yet received termination letters. They cited low salaries, existing health conditions, and domestic responsibilities as reasons for refusing census work.

“Our contract expires on May 10 and is renewed on July 1 every year. Between these months we aren’t employed by the Delhi government and no compensation is paid to us. The government is asking us to work for a month on census duty between May 15 and June 15 for ₹9,000,” said a teacher who has been a guest teacher since 2013.

Guest teachers are compensated at about ₹1,400 per day for the number of days they work, excluding Sundays, with no benefits such as a leave policy. “In over 13 years of service, I have received only one salary increment and continue to work without a proper leave policy. Despite multiple attempts, I have not been made permanent,” the teacher added.

Another teacher from Rajasthan said she had provided valid reasons for her inability to participate. “My parents, who live in Rajasthan, have medical conditions that require my urgent attention, and I had explained their health situation,” said the guest teacher in the central district.

Another teacher said she has been on maternity leave since March and was unaware of the developments until she found her name included on the list.