Mumbai: Over 300 Teachers From Across Maharashtra Rally At Azad Maidan Against BLO Duties, Mandatory TET For In-Service Staff

Mumbai: More than 300 teachers from across Maharashtra gathered at Azad Maidan on Wednesday to protest against what they termed the increasing burden of non-academic responsibilities on teachers and to demand the withdrawal of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) requirement for in-service teachers.

The protest, organised by the Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad (Mumbai Division), saw teachers raise concerns over the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, under which many educators have been assigned Booth Level Officer (BLO) duties.

In a memorandum submitted to School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse through the Deputy Director of Education, Mumbai Division, the teachers' body argued that continuous non-teaching assignments are affecting classroom instruction and the quality of education. It said teachers' primary responsibility is teaching and that repeated deployment for administrative work has disrupted academic activities.

The organisation also opposed the mandatory TET requirement for teachers already serving in schools, describing it as unnecessary and unfair to experienced educators. It urged the state government to withdraw the condition and exempt teachers from BLO duties so they can focus on teaching.

Leaders of the teachers' body said the demonstration received support from educators across the state, with participants calling for policy changes that reduce administrative workload and safeguard the interests of both teachers and students.

The protest comes amid growing concerns among teacher organisations over the increasing use of school teachers for election-related and other government assignments, with several associations demanding that such duties be minimised during the academic year.