Bombay High Court Temporarily Stays Census Duty For Private School Teachers Across Maharashtra, Bringing Relief To Educators

Mumbai: Teachers working in private unaided and minority schools across Maharashtra have expressed relief after the Bombay High Court temporarily stayed the appointment of school staff for census-related duties.

Academic Activities Disrupted

A total of 133 teachers in Mumbai, 75 from a school in Koparkhairane, 55 from Pimpri Chinchwad, 148 in Pune, and 52 in Vasai had been assigned to census operations.

“The case was followed by show-cause notices and FIRs against teachers from private schools. The appointments affected regular academic activities in schools,” said Rohan Bhat, a co-petitioner in the case.

Thane Needs 7,000 Personnel

With the deadline for completing Phase 1 of the census approaching, officials now face the challenge of completing the exercise on time. “We will have to review the appointments and ask state officials to assign other personnel for the work. We had exhausted all resources and trained staff from government schools and offices before seeking teachers from private schools,” said Madhukar Bodke.

Thane alone requires around 7,000 personnel for the census exercise.

“We may even have to take staff from nationalised banks, as is done during elections,” he added.

The court’s decision came after several school organisations challenged government directives requiring teachers to participate in the upcoming census process.

School Bodies Challenged Directive

According to school representatives, municipal bodies in cities including Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur had issued notices directing teachers and non-teaching staff to work as census enumerators and supervisors. Educational institutions argued that these duties would disrupt classroom teaching and place an additional burden on already stretched staff members.

Following the High Court’s order, many teachers welcomed the relief, saying they could now focus entirely on academics and student learning. Some educators said they had already attended multiple training sessions for census work and were concerned about balancing school responsibilities with government assignments.

Education groups described the ruling as an important step toward safeguarding the interests of both teachers and students. School managements stressed that uninterrupted teaching is crucial as institutions prepare for the upcoming academic term and examinations.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government defended its move, stating that the census is a vital national exercise requiring trained manpower. Officials argued that teachers have traditionally assisted in public administrative duties, including elections and surveys.

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