GSTA flags academic disruption, seeks guest teacher deployment during SIR duty

The Government Schools Teachers' Association (GSTA) has urged Delhi education minister Ashish Sood to deploy guest teachers in schools where regular teachers have been assigned to the election commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In a letter dated June 30, GSTA General Secretary Ajay Veer Yadav highlighted that teachers have been assigned SIR duties from July 1 to October 7, 2026, a period that coincides with the reopening of schools after the summer vacation. He warned that the absence of thousands of teachers could adversely affect students' learning.

They believe that it comes at a critical point when regular classroom teaching is about to resume."It is pertinent to mention that this period coincides with the reopening of schools after the summer vacation, when regular academic activities resume. This is one of the most crucial phases of the academic session, particularly for students of Classes X and XII, as it lays the foundation for their preparation for the Half-Yearly and Board Examinations," the letter stated.

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Election-related responsibilities

Expressing concern over the impact on classrooms, GSTA said, "A substantial number of trained teachers have been deployed as BLOs and BLO Supervisors for the SIR exercise. Consequently, the absence of thousands of teachers from schools is likely to adversely affect the education of lakhs of students. Such academic loss cannot be adequately compensated at a later stage."

The teachers' association has further requested the Delhi government to make temporary teaching arrangements by appointing guest teachers during the period.

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"In view of the above, GSTA earnestly requests that guest teachers may be deployed on a temporary basis against the teachers assigned to SIR duties, so that teaching-learning activities in schools continue uninterrupted. This will help safeguard the academic interests of students and contribute to maintaining the high educational standards and performance of Delhi in the academic session 2026–27," the letter said.

The letter has been signed by GSTA general secretary Ajay Veer Yadav and addressed to Delhi education minister Ashish Sood.