Surplus teachers oppose rural transfers, protests planned

MUMBAI: More than 400 surplus teachers from Mumbai’s civic, government-aided, and minority-run government-aided schools assembled outside the office of the deputy director of education at Charni Road on Thursday, to protest the suspension of their salaries after they refused transfers to schools in rural areas. More protests have been planned over the next few days.

These teachers have been rendered surplus due to changing enrolment preferences, where parents are choosing to send their children to private institutions rather than municipal and government-run schools. Over the last decade, the drop in enrolment numbers has been particularly sharp in Marathi-medium and non-English medium schools, as parents are keen to have their children educated in English.

This has resulted in a skewed student-teacher ratio, especially in Mumbai’s municipal and government schools. According to the Right to Education Act, the student-teacher ratio across all schools in Mumbai has been fixed at 30:1 at the primary level, and 35:1 at the upper primary level. A drop in the number of students automatically renders teachers surplus, which is at the heart of the surplus teachers impasse.

On this basis, the state education department has declared more than 530 teachers surplus in municipal, government and minority-run government-aided schools, since 2013. Of these, some teachers have been reinstated, to replace colleagues who have retired. However, over 400 teachers continue to be deemed surplus.

These teachers, led by their unions and teacher associations, say the department has offered rural postings in areas such as Wada, Jawhar and Mokhada, on the outskirts of Mumbai. They ask: “How does the government expect them to take up these postings without relocating and upending their lives?” The teachers also argue that several schools in Mumbai have vacancies and there is no need to post them outside the city.

Their refusal to relocate has prompted the state education department to suspend their salaries, even if they are engaged in other government duties like election-related work. “Their primary appointment lies with the education department. Hence, without compliance, their salaries cannot be processed,” an official clarified.

What’s the solution?

Teacher unions are now pushing back. Shikshak Bharati, the Junior College Teachers’ Association and the Maharashtra Progressive Teachers Union (MPTU) are planning a series of protests over the next few days.

Tanaji Kambale, president of the MPTU, condemned the transfers. “In the last two days, teachers have been issued orders to relocate outside Mumbai. Diktats are being issued, threatening salary stoppages if these orders are not followed. Why are teachers being forced out when there are still positions available in the city,” he asked.

Kambale also raised questions about the number of upcoming retirements and vacant positions in Mumbai’s minority-run schools. “Why aren’t the surplus teachers being accommodated in these roles? If this injustice continues, we will take to the streets,” he said.

Although the government has no jurisdiction over the appointment of teachers in minority-run institutions, it can request the administration of these schools to take in surplus teachers from elsewhere. As a result, 80 surplus teachers were placed in minority-run schools in Mumbai in the last couple of years, which is an alternative to rural transfers, Kambale reasons.

Subhas More, working president of Shikshak Bharati, echoed these concerns. “Teachers are being uprooted from their homes, families and responsibilities. Many have elderly parents and children studying in city schools. How are they expected to manage their lives from rural postings? This decision shows no empathy.”

The root of the crisis goes back to 2013, when enrolment in Marathi-medium municipal schools began declining. According to More, their troubles multiplied in the last four years, as teachers and staff were burdened with non-academic duties like census work, BLO tasks, nutritional audits, and testing responsibilities, often at the expense of student learning.

“It is not that Marathi schools don’t have students. It is the government’s backdoor decisions that are rendering teachers redundant,” More alleged.

Worsening the crisis

Compounding the problem, schools run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) follow service rules that prevent the permanent appointment of surplus teachers. So, despite the large number of surplus teachers, temporary appointments were made for around 250 teachers earlier. The department also reached out to other municipal bodies within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), but only Bhiwandi responded—appointing just four Urdu-medium teachers.

Sandeep Sangve, Deputy Director of the School Education Department (Mumbai Division), defended the department’s actions. “We are following the rules in adjusting surplus teachers. A special camp was conducted, where teachers were allowed to choose their preferred schools. Those who didn’t make a selection must now accept department postings. These decisions are made in the best interests of the students,” he claimed.

As the impasse continues, the delay in resolving the placement of surplus teachers has begun to impact student education – many schools are unable to appoint new teachers despite vacancies.