Govt Teachers Pulled Into Caste Census, School Admissions Hit Hard Ahead of Academic Year

News Flash

18 May

AIDSO Slams Govt for Ignoring Ground Reality, Warns of Major Enrollment Crisis in Karnataka’s Public Schools

Bengaluru: With the new academic year set to begin on May 29, a glaring administrative blunder is threatening to derail the admission process in government schools across Karnataka. While private schools are actively completing student admissions, government school teachers have been pulled into caste census duties, leaving no one to focus on public school enrollment.

The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) has sounded the alarm, warning that this mismanagement could drive more students away from already struggling government institutions.

“Private schools began enrollment weeks ago. Meanwhile, government teachers are counting castes, not students. Is this how we expect to strengthen public education?”
— Ajay Kamath, State Secretary, AIDSO

Census Duties or Classrooms? Public Education at a Crossroads

The timing could not be worse. Just weeks before the academic session begins, thousands of government school teachers have been reassigned to conduct the statewide caste-based census, sidelining them from their primary role of preparing for the new academic year.

Government schools are already reeling from poor infrastructure, teacher shortages, and a decline in student strength. This move, experts warn, could worsen dropout rates and further erode public confidence in government schooling.

“With no teachers available for the admission process, how do we expect children—especially from marginalized families—to get enrolled? This is administrative negligence at its peak,” a retired education officer told News Flash.

AIDSO Demands Immediate Action from Karnataka Govt

In a strong statement, Ajay Kamath, the AIDSO State Secretary, has demanded that the Karnataka government release government school teachers from census duties immediately, and assign them to student enrollment drives instead.

“This is not just about data, it's about the future of lakhs of children in Karnataka. Government schools cannot afford to lose even a single student due to administrative indifference,” Kamath emphasized.

AIDSO warns that if corrective measures aren’t taken urgently, the government’s promise of equitable education will remain a hollow slogan.

Parents Left Confused and Helpless

Many parents, particularly in rural areas, say they don’t know how or where to enroll their children, since no teacher or staff member has been available at schools for over a week.

“We went to the school twice to ask about admission. They told us the teachers are away for some government work,” a parent from Chikkaballapur said.

Call for Urgency Before May 29

With just days remaining for schools to reopen, education activists are urging the government to rethink its priorities.

“The census can wait. Children’s futures cannot,” said Kamath, calling for a dedicated enrollment week with 100% teacher involvement in government schools.