Thousands of guest teachers working in Delhi government schools will no longer have to worry about losing pay or teaching experience while performing Census duties. The Delhi government has clarified that the period spent on Census work will be treated as official duty, ensuring that teachers continue to receive salary, service benefits, and experience credit for the entire duration of their deployment.
The Directorate of Education (DoE) issued a circular directing all government, government-aided, and taken-over schools to implement the decision with immediate effect. The clarification comes amid queries regarding the calculation of working days and remuneration for guest teachers assigned to Census-related work.
No Loss Of Pay Or Service Benefits
Under the revised directions, any period spent on Census duty by a guest teacher, when deployed by the competent authority, will be treated as "on duty".
As a result:
- The Census duty period will count towards total working days and teaching experience.
- The period will be reflected in experience certificates, wherever applicable.
- Teachers will receive remuneration for the deployment period at the applicable daily wage rate.
The Directorate has also directed Deputy Directors of Education (DDEs) to ensure compliance with the order across schools.
Teachers Should Not Be Penalised For Serving The Country: Education Minister
Announcing the decision, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said the move was aimed at protecting the professional interests of guest teachers entrusted with important public responsibilities.
"Guest Teachers are not merely educators; they are partners in nation-building. When the Government entrusts them with important national responsibilities like the Census, they should not be penalised for serving the country. This decision ensures that every day spent in public service receives due recognition and respect," he said.
The minister added that no teacher should be forced to choose between serving the nation and safeguarding their career interests.
Census Duty To Count Towards Teaching Experience
The government said the move is intended to ensure that guest teachers do not lose professional benefits while carrying out important national and statutory responsibilities.
The total number of days spent on Census work will now be added to a teacher's overall service record and teaching experience. These days will also be reflected in experience certificates, a key requirement for future employment opportunities and career progression.
Experience Certificates To Reflect Census Work
For many guest teachers, experience certificates play a crucial role in future job applications and career advancement. Under the new clarification, the period spent on Census duty will be officially recorded in these certificates, ensuring that teachers receive full credit for their service.
The decision addresses concerns that time spent on government-assigned duties could otherwise create gaps in service records or affect professional experience calculations.
Salary To Continue During Census Deployment
The clarification further states that guest teachers deployed for Census operations will continue to receive their daily wages and remuneration for the entire period of deployment.
The decision is expected to benefit a large number of guest teachers who participate in Census-related assignments, ensuring that their contribution to a national exercise does not affect their earnings or service-related benefits.
Census Duty Gets Same Status As Election Work
According to the government, the decision brings uniformity in the treatment of government and statutory assignments carried out by guest teachers under the Directorate of Education.
Officials noted that duties such as election work, Booth Level Officer (BLO) responsibilities and COVID-19 relief operations have previously been treated as official public service assignments. Census duty will now receive similar recognition.
