Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Monday, December 10, ruled that teachers cannot be made to do non-academic work, citing the Right to Education Act, 2009, and restored the salary of a teacher whose salary has been "put on hold" by a revenue official in Rampur. The court also directed all District Magistrates across the state to issue necessary orders in using teachers doing non-academic work.
Justice Ajay Bhanot passed this major order on non-academic work being carried out by teachers while hearing a petition by Sanyami Sharma from Saharanpur. The court, in its order, has said that teachers can only be employed during disasters, the Census, and general elections. The court also stayed the order halting the salary of the teacher and directed that regular salary be credited to her.
The petitioner's advocate Naveen Kumar Sharma said that despite being a school teacher his client was engaged in various election-related activities assigned to her by the Rampur Maniharan Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Election Registration Officer.
This additional responsibility hampered her teaching job and she failed to take her classes properly. Upon complaining, the SDM stopped crediting her salary from October 29. In its detailed verdict, the division bench ruled that children have the right to free and compulsory education under the Right to Education Act.
Section 27 of the Compulsory Education Act mentions that teachers cannot be asked to carry out non-educational work, the court noted.
The division bench further said that the work of teachers is only to teach students. 'Carrying out other jobs after teaching hours is also an offence. After teaching, the teacher is expected to prepare for the next day's class and increase his/her knowledge to guide their students in a better manner,' the court said.
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