The demand to keep teachers away from election-related work has once again come to the forefront in Maharashtra. State education minister Dadaji Bhuse has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to exempt school teachers from Booth Level Officer (BLO) duties and other election assignments. The letter highlights concerns that repeated deployment for election work is disrupting classroom teaching and affecting students’ learning time.
I am writing about this issue because it touches the everyday functioning of schools across the state. Teachers have long complained that election-related responsibilities pull them away from academic work for weeks, sometimes months. When the education minister formally raises this concern with the chief minister, it signals that the problem has grown serious enough to need a policy-level decision rather than temporary adjustments.
What Bhuse Has Written to the Chief Minister
In his communication, Dadaji Bhuse has clearly stated that teachers should not be routinely assigned election duties, especially roles like BLO that require continuous fieldwork and data verification. He has argued that teaching is a specialised responsibility and that diverting educators to non-academic tasks weakens the education system.
The minister has reportedly stressed that schools are already facing pressure due to syllabus timelines, assessments, and staff shortages.
Why Teachers Are Opposing BLO and Election Duties
Teachers across Maharashtra have consistently raised objections to election work for several reasons:
- Loss of classroom teaching hours
- Additional workload beyond regular school duties
- Long periods of fieldwork unrelated to education
- Mental stress and accountability for election-related errors
Many teachers say that election duties often extend beyond school hours and affect lesson planning and student engagement.
Impact on Students and Schools
When teachers are assigned election duties, schools are forced to manage with fewer staff members. This leads to combined classes, delayed syllabus completion, and reduced attention to individual students. In government and rural schools, where staff strength is already limited, the impact is even more visible.
Parents and school administrators have also expressed concern that frequent disruptions affect academic discipline and exam preparation.
Government’s Position and What May Happen Next
The issue is now with the Maharashtra Government, which must balance election management needs with educational priorities. Election authorities traditionally rely on teachers due to their familiarity with records and local areas, but the growing pushback suggests this model may need rethinking.
If the chief minister accepts Bhuse’s request, it could lead to a formal policy change reducing or ending teachers’ involvement in BLO and election work.
Teachers’ Organisations Welcome the Move
Teachers’ unions and associations have welcomed the education minister’s letter and see it as a positive step. They are demanding:
- Complete exemption of teachers from BLO duties
- Clear written guidelines protecting teaching time
- Use of non-teaching government staff for election work
They believe this would allow teachers to focus fully on their core role.
