📋 Non-Teaching Duties Assigned to Teachers
Teachers may only be deployed for non-teaching duties during decennial census, elections, and disaster relief — nothing else.
What This Violation Looks Like
Why It Happens
Government departments frequently requisition teachers for government programmes because they are literate, abundant, and "available" without additional cost. School administrators comply because they cannot resist orders from higher authorities. The impact on teaching quality is significant — these deployments often run for weeks.
Legal Definition & Penalty
Section 27 of the RTE Act prohibits deploying teachers for any purpose other than teaching, except for duties related to the decennial census, disaster relief, and duties related to elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and local bodies. Deploying teachers for Aadhaar enrollment, polio drives, survey work, health camps, or any other government programme is a violation.
Penalty — Section 27 — enforceable via Section 32
Action against deploying authority — specific fine not prescribed but is actionable via grievance redressal
Additional consequence: NCPCR has issued advisories against deploying teachers for non-teaching duties. State governments can be directed to stop such deployments.
Evidence to Collect
Before filing your complaint, collect:
How to Report This Violation
Document the deployment
Note the dates the teacher was absent from school, the purpose of deployment, and who ordered the deployment. A teacher who is absent from class for non-teaching duties is the clearest evidence.
File complaint with DEO
File with the DEO documenting the number of school days lost, the names of classes affected, and the purpose of the deployment.
File with SCPCR / NCPCR
NCPCR and SCPCRs have issued orders against non-teaching deployment. This is a well-documented issue and they are responsive to such complaints.
Who to Complain To
Complaint Template
To, The District Education Officer, [District Name], [State Name] Sir/Madam,I write to report a violation of Section 27 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 at [School Name], [Address]. [Teacher Name / "Teachers at the school"], [Designation], was/were deployed for [describe: Aadhaar enrollment / survey work / polio drive / other] during the period [Date Range]. During this period, [number] classes of [subjects] were not held, affecting [approximate number] students. Section 27 of the RTE Act strictly limits non-teaching deployment to decennial census, elections, and disaster relief. The deployment described above does not fall within any of these permitted categories and is therefore a violation. I request: 1. Immediate recall of the teacher(s) from non-teaching deployment. 2. Direction to not deploy school teachers for non-teaching purposes in future. 3. Compensatory classes for students who missed teaching during the deployment.Yours faithfully, [Your Full Name] [Your Address] [Your Mobile Number] [Date]
Related Violations
Need help filing a complaint?
Mahadev Maitri Foundation works in rural Rajasthan and Haryana to bring quality education to underserved children. Support this free resource and our on-ground work.