Mumbai: Teachers across Mumbai are pushing back against a directive that requires them to move from classrooms to canine control. Teachers are being asked to double up as “nodal officers” for preventing stray dogs from entering school premises, a move they say diverts them from their primary responsibility as educators and offloads civic responsibilities onto an already overburdened teaching workforce. The order, issued by the Education Inspector (North), citing a 2005 suo motu court directive, has triggered protests from teacher unions.The Maharashtra Progressive Teachers’ Association (MPTA), in a letter addressed to the chief minister, deputy chief minister, education minister and senior education department officials, said that responsibilities such as sanitation, campus maintenance and control of stray animals fall squarely under the jurisdiction of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other administrative agencies. Assigning these tasks to teachers, the union said, amounts to shifting administrative duties onto the teaching community.In Nov, 2025, the Supreme Court directed authorities to remove stray dogs from public areas like schools, hospitals and transport hubs. MPTA state president Tanaji Kamble said, “Stray dog control, cleanliness and security are duties of the government. Appointing teachers as nodal officers is an affront to their dignity and professional role as educators.” He further alleged that court directives were being selectively interpreted to impose non-academic responsibilities on teachers.Echoing concerns from the education sector, Mahendra Ganpule, former vice-president of the Maharashtra School Principals’ Association, said teachers were being pushed beyond reasonable limits. “If something needs to be done for the benefit of a child, a teacher will never say no. But bureaucratic work meant for government officials is now being passed off onto teachers,” he saidResponding to the criticism, Education Inspector (North) Mustaq Shaikh said he was only implementing judicial directions. “I am only implementing a court order,” Shaikh said. When asked about teachers being burdened with multiple non-academic responsibilities, particularly during the election season, he added, “I accept that it adds pressure on teachers, but these are court orders that must be implemented. Teachers will only be expected to coordinate with the BMC,” clarifying that enforcement rests with the civic body.
