State to conduct student enrollment verification from April 11

Mumbai's education department will conduct a student enrollment verification drive from April 11-22, despite teachers' objections over timing with exams.

Mumbai: The state education department has announced a statewide ‘enrolment verification’ drive to physically check student attendance and records in schools from April 11 to April 22. The exercise will be conducted in three phases, on April 11, April 15, and April 22, and will cover students from Classes 2 to 9 and Class 11. For the first time, Class 1 students will also be included.

State to conduct student enrollment verification from April 11

However, the decision has drawn strong objections from teachers across the state, as the verification is scheduled on the same days as the Periodic Assessment Tests (PAT). Teachers have said that conducting the exercise during examinations will significantly increase their workload.

Teacher representatives have questioned the need for physical verification when the government already maintains student data through Aadhaar-based records, APAAR IDs and the UDISE+ system. Many believe that the decision adds more to their workload and shows a lack of trust in existing digital systems.

Jayant Asgaonkar, a teachers’ Member of Legislative Council (MLC) from Pune constituency, has demanded that the verification drive be postponed. Mahendra Ganpule, former spokesperson of the state principals’ association, also raised concerns about the timing of the exercise and the burden on teachers.

Despite the criticism, the department has decided to proceed with the plan and has sought support from Zilla Parishad staff. District authorities have been directed to provide the required manpower, though teachers say the main responsibility of visiting schools and verifying student attendance will still fall on them.

Concerns have also been raised over the inclusion of Class 1 students. In many schools, exams for these students are already over and summer vacations may have begun. Teachers fear they may be called in to work during the vacation period to complete the verification.

Teachers have also pointed out that schools are already occupied with annual examinations, particularly for Class 9, and the added responsibility will make the process more difficult. In some cases, verification has been scheduled on the same days as important subject exams like Marathi, English and Science. This means teachers will have to manage both exam duties and student verification at the same time.

With the dates approaching, resentment among teachers continues to grow, with many urging the government to reconsider the schedule and ease the workload during the crucial examination period.

Meanwhile, the government has stated that the drive is important to ensure accurate student enrollment data and proper academic records. The orders have been issued by the Directors of Education for primary and secondary levels.