Teachers raise concerns over sudden GIS mapping deadline and app download instructions

Mumbai: With the academic year-end workload already peaking, teachers across Maharashtra are facing additional stress over a last-minute directive from the state school education department to complete Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping of school infrastructure by April 25.

The process requires uploading photographs of school facilities—such as name boards, classrooms, toilets, kitchen sheds, and drinking water sources—through a government app called Maha School GIS 1.0. However, the app is not available on the Google Play Store. Instead, an Android Package Kit (APK) file was circulated by the government for manual installation, prompting serious safety concerns.

“To install the APK, we were asked to allow apps from unknown sources, which compromises the security of our phones,” said a teacher from Thane district. “The instructions were sent late Friday night via WhatsApp groups run by district education officers, and we were expected to begin work the very next day.”

Teachers say the absence of an official government circular and the lack of technical support only worsened the confusion. “Many of us use the same phones for sensitive work like banking. Why are we being asked to risk our devices for an unofficial app?” asked a teacher from Mumbai.

The app requires OTP-based verification through the principal’s registered number linked to the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), creating further complications for teachers tasked with the on-ground data collection.

Several teachers also questioned the need to re-submit infrastructure data, which they said had already been uploaded through the School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) in recent months. “This seems like a duplication of effort,” one teacher pointed out.

Mahendra Ganpule, former vice-president of the State Principals’ Association, criticised the rushed timeline. “Earlier, GIS reviews were conducted once every three years through physical visits by zonal officers. Now, teachers who are already busy with exam duties, result compilation and mid-day meal reporting are expected to take on this added responsibility at short notice.”

He added, “Why repeat the same process through a privately-developed app without sufficient safeguards, and in such a tight window?”

Sachindra Pratap Singh, commissioner, school education department defended the initiative, saying it would help in assessing the ground realities of school infrastructure and planning improvements accordingly. “Saturday is usually a lighter work day, which is why it was selected,” he said. He further stated that app is using for internal purpose, and it is secured. He also said, “This information will be helpful to the parents before take admission to their children in the school.”