By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 5: The Jaintia National Council (JNC), Khliehriat Circle, has petitioned the Deputy Commissioner of East Jaintia Hills to stop the deployment of school teachers for Census 2027 house-listing work, stating it undermines the education of tribal students.
In a representation to the Deputy Commissioner and Principal Census Officer, JNC-KC working president Diamon Bareh argued that diverting teachers during school hours violates the spirit of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. He maintained that while census duty is legally permitted, it should not result in empty classrooms or compromise mandatory pupil-teacher ratios.
The Council questioned why teachers are being utilised when central funds have been earmarked for the census. It suggested that the reliance on educators points to administrative convenience rather than necessity and asked whether local civilian enumerators could be engaged instead.
The JNC also pointed to flaws in the ongoing self-enumeration process, which runs from May 1–15. The organisation noted that poor internet access in rural areas and a lack of local language support have hindered outreach, risking an undercount of the population.
To address these issues, the JNC demanded that the administration withdraw teachers from census duties during school hours and instead appoint enumerators from within the local community. It further called for the establishment of block-level facilitation centres staffed by Pnar-speaking personnel and an extension of the self-enumeration timeline for remote areas.
The Council requested a written disclosure regarding teacher deployment and fund usage within seven days. The Deputy Commissioner has indicated that these concerns will be taken up with the state government. The JNC warned of further action if corrective steps are not taken, asserting that student rights must not be sacrificed for administrative expediency.
