Government schools across West Bengal are preparing for significant disruptions in regular teaching schedules as the Census enumeration process is set to begin on August 1, 2026. Many teachers have been selected to assist with the Census, leading to an acute shortage of educators available for classroom instruction. To manage this, some schools have started implementing weekly rosters that reduce the number of teaching days for certain classes, while others are considering alternating attendance days for students.
A notice issued by a high school in Salt Lake on July 7 announced that classes from pre-primary to Class 5 would follow a weekly roster system. This means different classes or sections will have suspended classes on specific weekdays, with no suspensions on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The school indicated this arrangement will continue until further notice, reflecting the growing challenge schools face in maintaining normal academic activities.
Why Census Duties Are Straining Schools
The Census requires extensive manpower to collect data from households, and teachers have been identified as suitable personnel for this task. Across Kolkata and other districts, batches of teachers are undergoing training to fulfill Census responsibilities. For example, one Kolkata government school reported that 15 of its teachers have been selected and trained in phases. This is on top of teachers already engaged in election-related duties, such as serving as Booth Level Officers (BLOs), which has further depleted available teaching staff.
Schools outside Kolkata are experiencing similar pressures. In North 24 Parganas, a government school has three teachers currently training for Census work and is considering adopting a roster system similar to that in Salt Lake. In Bardhaman district, school leaders highlighted that teachers have been juggling multiple roles, including election duties, welfare scheme work, and now Census enumeration. This double or even triple duty is stretching the workforce thin and complicating efforts to maintain regular teaching schedules.
Key Facts About the Teacher Shortage and School Adjustments
- West Bengal has approximately 446,000 government school teachers according to the state education department.
- Many teachers are not only involved in Census duties but also continue to serve as BLOs and participate in other government schemes.
- Some schools have started weekly rosters where certain classes do not attend school on specific days to cope with teacher absences.
- The Census enumeration is expected to continue until September 2026, overlapping with the academic calendar and limiting time for syllabus completion.
- Teachers face additional challenges with digitizing Census data using mobile apps, which can be difficult for those less familiar with technology.
How This Affects Students and Schools
The shortage of teachers and the resulting reduction in teaching days pose serious challenges for students’ learning progress. With Census duties expected to last through September and the Puja vacation following soon after, schools will have limited time to cover the syllabus before final exams in early December. Educators worry about students’ ability to keep up with coursework given these disruptions.
Moreover, the added responsibility of data digitization for Census work places extra strain on teachers, many of whom must learn new apps and manage data entry on top of their teaching duties. This workload often leads to long hours and fatigue, affecting both teachers’ well-being and the quality of education they can provide.
School administrators have appealed to Census authorities to limit the number of teachers assigned to enumeration tasks to reduce the impact on classroom teaching. However, with the Census being a massive statewide exercise, balancing these demands remains a complex challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are teachers being assigned to Census duties?
A: Teachers are considered reliable and trained personnel who can assist in collecting accurate household data during the Census, which requires a large workforce across the state.
Q: How are schools managing the shortage of teachers?
A: Many schools are adopting weekly rosters that reduce the number of teaching days for certain classes or alternate attendance days to ensure some level of instruction continues despite teacher absences.
Q: What impact will this have on students’ education?
A: Reduced teaching days and disruptions may make it difficult for students to complete their syllabus on time, potentially affecting exam preparation and overall learning outcomes.
