The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, 18 August expressed sharp anguish over the mass appointment of school teachers in West Bengal for Census work, questioning whether the process was adequately coordinated between the Union government and the state government. The remarks came as a petition challenging the large-scale recruitment of teachers for the exercise came up for hearing before a single-judge bench.

What the Court Said

Justice Krishan Rao, presiding over the bench, sought specific information about the time slots allotted to school teachers for Census duties. He observed that if those slots fell after regular teaching hours or on weekly off-days, it would impose 'tremendous pressure' on the teachers. He also suggested that Census authorities reconsider and revise the time allotted for teachers to carry out the work.

The bench strongly emphasised that the Right to Education (RTE) and students' regular classes must not be disrupted due to the mass involvement of school teachers in the Census process. The court advised the state government to devise a balanced administrative plan to address the conflict.

Background: A Recurring Concern

This is not the first time the Calcutta High Court has flagged this issue. In an earlier hearing, the court had observed that the state could have recruited teachers in smaller batches rather than in large numbers simultaneously, so as to avoid placing undue additional burden on them alongside their core teaching responsibilities.

Notably, the controversy echoes a similar episode earlier this year, when teachers were deployed in large numbers for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise ahead of the Assembly elections. That move had triggered widespread protests from the academic community across the state.

Teachers' Grievances

The petitioners — primarily teachers from state-run and state-aided schools — argued that their existing workload already stretched their capacity. Many teachers reportedly travel long distances to reach their schools, and with only Sunday as a weekly off-day, absorbing the additional demands of Census fieldwork was described as practically impossible.

Their petition contends that the mass appointment was carried out without adequate regard for the ground realities of a teacher's daily schedule, effectively converting educators into administrative field workers.

Key Legal and Policy Questions

Justice Rao's pointed query — whether the Union government consulted the West Bengal government before appointing school teachers for Census duties — raises a significant federal coordination question. Census is a Union subject under the Constitution, but its field implementation relies heavily on state machinery, including teachers, who are state employees governed by state service rules.

The court's intervention signals growing judicial scrutiny over how Census mobilisation intersects with the constitutional guarantee of quality education. The matter is expected to be heard further, with the state and Census authorities directed to furnish details on the time-slot arrangements.