“Blatant harassment”: Punjab teachers protest Mawan Dheeyan scheme non-academic work

In the scorching summer heat, teachers have already been deployed in the field to conduct the Drug Census and Population Census, map voters for the Election Commission’s SIR exercise, work as Booth Level Officers (BLOs), and register beneficiaries for the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme, among other assignments.

According to the latest order issued by the Ludhiana (West) Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), at least 57 teachers have been directed to report for duties related to the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana. The order states: “Government is taking this task very seriously. In case of negligence, you will be responsible for any action taken against you.”

As per the order, 57 teachers, all lecturers teaching Classes XI and XII, were summoned for a meeting on Tuesday. However, only 12 attended, a source said, adding that there was considerable resentment among teachers over the imposition of non-academic duties.

A science teacher who attended Tuesday’s meeting at the SDM office told The Indian Express, “This is blatant harassment. I just completed Population Census duty on June 13. Not even two days had passed when I saw my name in the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar scheme duty list. I am already conducting extra online classes for NEET and JEE aspirants even during the vacation. This is not how you treat teachers. This is blatant harassment.”

Another teacher said, “Only 12 teachers came to mark their attendance at the meeting today. The SDM then said the meeting stood postponed. Is this some kind of joke? Teachers are being called during summer vacations only to be told that the meeting has been postponed. Don’t teachers have families? Don’t they deserve even a single day off with their children during the vacation?”

“My name was also on the duty list, but I could not attend because I had come to Himachal Pradesh to meet my aged parents. I completed Census work on June 13 and thought I would spend the remaining holidays with them. A day later, I was informed that my name had appeared on the Mawan Dheeyan duty list. I chose to stay with my parents and skipped the meeting today. They can take whatever action they want against me, but this is mental harassment,” said another teacher.

“They are treating us as if we cannot even breathe without their permission. Some teachers have conducted both census exercises and have now been assigned a third duty under the Mawan Dheeyan Yojana. We are doing everything except teaching. On top of that, we have been asked to bring in new admissions for Classes IX and XI,” said another teacher.

Rupinder Singh Gill, district president of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), Ludhiana, said, “Teachers were still tolerating the burden of the Drug Census and Population Census, but the Mawan Dheeyan duty might be the last nail in the coffin. There could be widespread backlash if this continues after the summer vacation. Teachers are being made to do everything except teaching. If it is not Census work, they are on election duty as BLOs or mapping voters for the SIR exercise.”

“Let these officers step out of their homes or offices for a day and they would understand what such duties mean in this heat,” said another teacher.

Contacted for comment, Ludhiana West SDM Kuldeep Bawa initially said, “We need staff to implement the government’s schemes on the ground.”

Asked what work teachers would be assigned under the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana, Bawa said, “Many tasks related to implementing the scheme will come up in the future, so we need to prepare. I will get it checked whether teachers who have already performed Census duties are on the list. They will be replaced.”