The Unaided Schools Forum (USF), an association of private schools based in Maharashtra, has communicated with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, registering a formal complaint regarding what they perceive as 'harassment' of their educators by government officials. This issue stems from the preparation of rosters for election duty.

Subhash Chandra Kedia, the honorary secretary of USF, underscored that private unaided school teachers are explicitly exempt from election duty, a legal position upheld by the Supreme Court. Nevertheless, education officers from various districts have been contacting member-schools and requesting lists of teachers for the explicit purpose of election duty allocation. These officials have been unequivocal in their intent to use the provided lists for this purpose.

Kedia further highlighted that certain officials have resorted to "threats" to coerce schools into compliance with their directives. Despite the schools' reference to the Supreme Court's ruling, these officials insist they have been entrusted by the government to compile a comprehensive list of available resources. Failure to provide such a list, according to Kedia, has led to veiled threats of punitive actions against the schools, including the possibility of closure.

In a communication addressed to Chief Minister Shinde, USF has conveyed its intention to initiate legal proceedings against the government if the officers persist in their pursuit of school principals concerning this matter. Kedia unequivocally stated, "We will file a petition for contempt of court if the harassment continues. Government and aided school teachers can be included since the state funds their salaries and extends grants to their institutions. In contrast, we operate as self-financed schools, and if our teachers are assigned election duty, the question arises: who will assume teaching responsibilities within the classrooms?"

District collector Vipin Itankar expressed the viewpoint that private unaided school teachers should consider their involvement in election duty as a form of "social service." Itankar emphasized that teachers and lecturers play an integral role in society and should contribute to the functioning of the electoral process, irrespective of their affiliation with government or private-unaided schools.

Meanwhile, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College in Chandigarh has taken the pioneering step of disbursing guaranteed grants and benefits to its unaided teachers in alignment with the 7th Pay Commission. Approximately 50 teachers have received arrears dating back to January 2016, raising hopes for similar relief for unaided staff members at six other institutions. Government-aided colleges in Chandigarh employ a minimum of 450 teaching staff and 700 non-teaching staff. The Chandigarh Aided College Teachers Association (CACTA) has been actively addressing this matter, and a recent delegation submitted a memorandum of demands to the Union minister.

In another development, the Tamil Nadu school education department has extended the upper age limit for candidates who have qualified the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and are seeking positions in government schools. For candidates in the open category, the age limit has been increased from 40 to 53 years, while for reserved categories, it has been raised from 45 to 58 years. This policy change seeks to facilitate the recruitment of more experienced teachers into government schools, particularly in light of a scarcity of recruitment over the past decade. Teacher organizations have welcomed the decision but are advocating for the extension of age relaxation to encompass all teacher appointments.

Tragically, a 52-year-old principal of a government school in Gujarat resorted to suicide, citing the actions of three teachers, the local sarpanch, and another individual who had insulted him based on his caste. The principal, who belonged to the Dalit community, consumed poison during school hours and subsequently succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Prior to his demise, he circulated a video message in which he accused the individuals in question of directing casteist slurs at him and pressuring him to divert government grants. The police have registered cases against the accused for abetment of suicide and are currently engaged in locating them.