Archive · 30 Jul 2026
Bengal Schools Face New Teacher Shortage Amid Census
In Bengal, many school teachers are being asked to help count people for the 2027 Census.
This means some schools have fewer teachers and even stop classes for a few days.
The school leaders are worried because they need teachers to teach.
The education minister says he will try to keep fewer teachers away and maybe let them teach in the morning before going to the census.
The problem is made worse because the state has not hired many new teachers in the last ten years, so there are not enough people to replace those who are busy with the census.
Teachers in Bengal’s government and aided schools are being drafted as census enumerators, creating a new staffing crisis after earlier shortages during the SIR.
Headmasters report that 9 of 30 teachers will be requisitioned from August 15, forcing class suspensions and prompting calls for reduced deployment.
Education Minister Dipak Barman has promised to limit teacher involvement and is exploring a morning‑shift model to keep schools running.
Recruitment of 35,000 secondary‑level teachers, stalled for a decade, is still pending, worsening the shortage.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation warned that teachers refusing census duty could face fines or imprisonment.
- Who
- Teachers, school heads, education minister Dipak Barman, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari
- What
- Teachers are being drafted as census enumerators, causing staffing shortages in government and aided schools
- When
- Census begins August 1, 2027; teachers requisitioned from August 15; recruitment deadline August 31, 2024
- Where
- Bengal, Kolkata, Sealdah, Taki House, Mitra Institution
- Why
- The Census 2027 requires enumeration; teachers are needed as enumerators, but recruitment has stalled
- Census start date
- August 1, 2027
- Teachers requisitioned per school
- 9
- Kolkata blocks
- 8,112
- Recruitment deadline
- August 31, 2024
- Education Minister
- Dipak Barman