A controversial directive from the Chhattisgarh Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) has triggered a wave of anger among government school teachers after placing on them an unexpected new duty: monitoring stray dogs, snakes, scorpions, and other potentially dangerous animals on school premises. The order — circulated to district education officers, headmasters, and principals — insists that it is the responsibility of teachers to ensure no harmful creature enters school grounds and endangers students. Officials have justified the move by citing recent Supreme Court directions on keeping public spaces free from stray animals.
Teachers Call The Order “Absurd”, “Dangerous”
Educators across Chhattisgarh have slammed the directive, calling it impractical and yet another burden piled onto an already overwhelming workload. Many note that teachers are already struggling to manage teaching responsibilities along with midday meal supervision, student documentation, infrastructure checks, exam preparation, and even door-to-door visits to encourage attendance.
To now track and prevent the entry of snakes or scorpions, teachers argue, is not only unrealistic but puts their own safety at risk. They stress that handling wildlife is the job of trained professionals, not school staff with no background in animal control.
Teachers’ associations have described the order as “absurd,” “unworkable,” and an example of how non-academic tasks are increasingly consuming classroom time. Some have expressed concern that such directives trivialise their professional training and expertise.
Part Of A Wider Pattern Across States
The outrage follows similar developments in other states. In Karnataka, the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) recently instructed schools — government, aided, and private — to count stray dogs on their campuses and file official reports. That order too cited the Supreme Court’s ruling on relocating strays from schools, colleges, hospitals, and public places.
Educators say these directives reflect a growing trend of shifting municipal and wildlife responsibilities onto teachers, stretching them far beyond their academic roles. The J&K government has also referenced the Supreme Court’s push for stray-dog management while issuing related orders.
DPI Defends Directive, Teachers Remain Unconvinced
Officials in Chhattisgarh maintain that the order is essential for student safety and aligns with legal obligations. They argue that schools must provide a “safe, fear-free, and supportive environment,” and that the directive is part of ensuring compliance with judicial guidelines.
However, the order goes further than similar measures in other states. It warns that teachers and headmasters will be held accountable if a student is injured by an animal, harmed due to a dilapidated building, or even drowns while playing near a river or pond adjacent to the school.
Educators say such sweeping accountability measures place unfair pressure on teachers while failing to address systemic gaps in school infrastructure and municipal animal control.
The Supreme Court, in its ruling, had indeed instructed states to keep stray dogs away from public institutions and mandated fencing in vulnerable areas. It noted that rising dog bite incidents point to serious administrative lapses. But for teachers across Chhattisgarh and beyond, the latest directive represents yet another example of governance shifting essential responsibilities onto those least equipped to handle them.
