Teachers’ body seeks delay in UPSC exam, citing SIR duty commitments

New Delhi: The Delhi government schools teachers association (GSTA) has urged the Union Public Service Commission to postpone the recruitment test for the posts of principal and vice-principal scheduled for November 1, citing deployment of a large number of applicants as booth-level officers and supervisors for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls

New Delhi: The Delhi government schools teachers association (GSTA) has urged the Union Public Service Commission to postpone the recruitment test for the posts of principal and vice-principal scheduled for November 1, citing deployment of a large number of applicants as booth-level officers and supervisors for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Teachers’ body seeks delay in UPSC exam, citing SIR duty commitments

The association said that the applicants are unable to prepare for the examination, as they are already juggling SIR duty alongside academic responsibilities.

In a communique on October 1, GSTA general secretary Ajay Veer Yadav said, “GSTA request the commission to postpone/reschedule the combined recruitment test presently fixed for November 1, 2026 by an appropriate period, preferably four to six weeks, so that the intensive phase of the ongoing SIR exercise may substantially conclude, and the affected teacher-candidates may have a reasonable opportunity to prepare and compete on an equal footing.”

UPSC did not respond to queries sent by HT, seeking comment on the matter.

Some teachers, speaking to HT on condition of anonymity, said that opportunities for appointment as vice-principal or principal are rare, and come about only about once a decade. They said that appearing for the examination without adequate preparation could further reduce their chances of selection.

“I teach in an evening-shift school and school ends at 6.30pm. Then, I head for SIR work, and return home by 8-9pm This has been my routine for the past four months. How does one manage time for preparation?” a 43-year-old government school teacher from north Delhi, who teaches history to classes 11 and 12, told HT.

In July this year, the UPSC invited applications for 124 posts of principal and 704 posts of vice-principal in Delhi government-run schools. The SIR process started in June, and was scheduled to end by October. However, after three timeline extensions, the final publication of rolls has been revised to December, extending the work of the BLOs by more than two months.

Another 51-year-old teacher, who requested anonymity, said that working nearly 12–13 hours a day left them with little time or energy to prepare for the examination. “With the SIR being extended, long school hours and domestic responsibilities, we are left with little time to manage everything. I only have nine years of service left, and there are high chances that I might not get this opportunity again,” the 51-year-old said.