Maharashtra primary teachers’ body threatens Statewide boycott over online workload

The Maharashtra Rajya Prathamik Shikshak Samiti has warned of a Statewide boycott of online administrative work by primary schoolteachers, citing that mandatory tasks through multiple apps and portals are severely affecting classroom teaching.

In a letter to School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse on December 30, the committee said teachers are “virtually held hostage” by the growing burden of online submissions for schemes, attendance, and surveys. “Shikshakanna shikvu dya, vidyarthinna shiku dya (Let teachers teach and students learn),” the letter said, urging the government to let teachers focus on academics.

The committee pointed out that rural schools face poor Internet connectivity and teachers’ personal mobile phones are overloaded with apps including Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), and Shalarth. “Continuous online work leaves teachers with no time for students. The stress is eroding morale and mental health,” the letter said.

Initially, the teachers had cooperated with online systems like UDISE+ and Shalarth to save time and reduce paperwork. However, the letter alleges that the situation has now spiralled into “unwritten compulsion” to use portals and apps for every administrative requirement, including daily nutrition beneficiary counts under the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme and attendance through VSK’s Smart Presence chatbot.

The body also flagged concerns over private apps such as VOPA used for assessments under the ‘Nipunn Maharashtra’ programme, calling them “flawed and misleading”. It alleged that such practices tarnish the image of local schools and teachers by publishing inaccurate data.

“Teachers have been handling responsibilities including mid-day meals, scholarships, and multiple schemes without complaint or extra pay for years. But the current policy has made their personal lives miserable,” the letter said, adding that poor connectivity and storage limits on phones worsen the problem.

The committee demanded that cluster-level data entry operators be appointed to handle administrative tasks. “If corrective steps are not taken, we will boycott all online work and launch a campaign against using personal mobiles for official duties,” said committee president Vijay Kombe and general secretary Rajan Koragavkar.

The letter lists over 40 apps and portals currently in use, including Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA), School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF), Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) e-box, Integrated Government Online Training (IGOT Karmayogi), and Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM). It urges a policy review through consultations with education experts and teacher unions. “The government must take a balanced approach and avoid one-sided decisions,” the committee said.