After a long wait, the long-standing demand of Shiksha Mitras to return to their original schools appears set to be fulfilled during the winter holidays. On Tuesday (December 9), the state government issued official orders allowing their return to home schools. As a result, nearly 30,000 Shiksha Mitras will get an opportunity to work closer to their homes. Importantly, this decision will benefit women Shiksha Mitras the most, as they will be eligible for postings near their current place of work or in the gram sabha, gram panchayat, or ward of their husband’s residence.
Information Gathering to Begin First
According to the order issued by Special Secretary of the Basic Education Department, Avadhesh Kumar Tiwari, Shiksha Mitras will first be asked to provide details through a prescribed format. Based on this information, those who wish to continue at their present place of posting will not require any further action. Meanwhile, male or unmarried female Shiksha Mitras opting for return to their original school will be posted there if a vacancy exists.
Alternative Posting Where Vacancies Are Not Available
However, if no vacancy is available at the original school, the Shiksha Mitra will be adjusted in another school within the same gram sabha, gram panchayat, or ward where a vacant position exists. In this context, the Special Secretary referred to the government order issued on January 3, stating that the entire process will be completed by a committee chaired by the District Magistrate. The committee will include the CDO, DIET Principal, BSA, and Assistant Finance and Accounts Officer as members.
Background of the Government Decision
Notably, a government order concerning the adjustment and transfer of Shiksha Mitras to their original schools was issued on January 3. Subsequently, guidelines for its implementation were released on June 12. However, despite this, the department failed to ensure proper execution. As a result, the Uttar Pradesh Primary Shiksha Mitra Association had recently warned of launching an agitation if the process was not initiated.
Association Welcomes the Move
Welcoming the decision, State President of the Uttar Pradesh Primary Shiksha Mitra Association, Shiv Kumar Shukla, thanked the government. He stated that nearly 30,000 Shiksha Mitras would benefit from this exercise, as they would finally get a chance to work closer to their homes. Therefore, he urged the department to begin the process promptly at the district level.
Maximum Limit of Shiksha Mitras Per School
Referring to earlier instructions, the Special Secretary clarified that a maximum of two Shiksha Mitras can be posted in each school. However, in schools located in Naxal-affected areas, up to three Shiksha Mitras may be deployed. Accordingly, vacancies will be calculated and adjustments will be made.
Process to Be Completed in Two Phases
The department has further clarified that the adjustment process will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, Shiksha Mitras willing to return to their original or nearby schools will be given priority if vacancies exist. Subsequently, adjustments under the second phase will take place, for which separate guidelines will be issued.
Online Attendance to Be Introduced for Council School Teachers
Meanwhile, online attendance will now be mandatory for teachers posted in council-run schools across the state. Following High Court directions and based on the report of a constituted committee, the government has ordered the implementation of a digital attendance system. Teachers will be required to mark attendance within one hour of school opening. The responsibility of marking attendance will lie with the headmaster. This decision will affect around 4.5 lakh teachers posted in nearly 1.33 lakh council schools across the state.
One-Hour Window for Digital Attendance
According to the order issued by Additional Chief Secretary of the Basic Education Department, Parth Sarathi Sen Sharma, teachers of primary and upper primary schools will be given a one-hour window after school begins to mark online attendance. After this period, the system will automatically lock. However, in case of network issues, offline attendance will be allowed, which will later be synced with the digital system once connectivity is restored. If a headmaster is unable to perform this task, the responsibility may be assigned to another teacher.
