Earlier guidelines said, CBSE schools could ask a teacher to accompany children in school vans.
With an aim to ensure that teachers are not allotted non-academic work, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has amended its rules and asked schools to employ female attendants or lady guards in school vans and buses to ensure safety of children.
A circular by CBSE secretary Joseph Emmanuel informing schools affiliated to the Board about this amendment said the Right to Education Act lays down that no teacher should be engaged in non-academic activities except those related to census, disaster relief or election.
According to earlier guidelines, CBSE-affiliated schools could ask one of the teachers to accompany children in school vans.
The Board's missive in this regard came after the issue of teachers being engaged in non-academic activities by schools was raised in the high-profile Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) meeting on October 25, which was headed by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and had representatives of all states and UTs present.
CABE is the country's highest advisory body in the field of education.
Schools affiliated to CBSE should ensure that teachers are not engaged in activities other than those related directly to teaching, professional upgradation, examination etc, the circular said.
"For activities of ministerial nature, transport or canteen for similar related tasks, separate trained staff may be deployed by the school," it added.
It will be the responsibility of the principal and the secretary of the society or trust of the school to ensure the norms are implemented in this regard, the CBSE said.