Calcutta HC sets conditions for assigning Bengal government school teachers Census duty

August 21, 2026

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday laid down several conditions for assigning teachers from state-run schools in West Bengal to Census duty, stressing that their deployment should not disrupt regular academic activities.

A single-judge bench of Justice Krishna Rao directed that schools must be informed in advance about the requirement for teachers for Census-related work and must make arrangements for alternative teachers to ensure that normal classes are not affected.

Schools must arrange substitute teachers

The court said that once teachers are allotted Census duty, they will be required to report for the assignment and perform the necessary Census-related work.

At the same time, teachers engaged in Census activities must be treated and recorded as “on-duty” for the entire period of their Census assignment.

Justice Rao had earlier raised concerns about teachers being asked to perform teaching and Census duties simultaneously, observing that teachers should be engaged either in teaching or Census work at a given time.

HC questions mass deployment of teachers

The court also suggested that teachers could be assigned Census duties on a rotational basis and, where possible, on alternate days.

Justice Rao questioned the mass appointment of teachers from state-run schools and advised the state government to consider selective deployment for Census-related work.

The teachers who approached the High Court had clarified that they were not opposed to being assigned Census duties. However, they sought administrative recognition of their Census assignment as “on-duty”, a position addressed by the court in its Friday judgment.

Court raises consultation issue

The High Court had also earlier questioned whether the Census authorities consulted the West Bengal government before deciding to deploy teachers for the exercise.

The hearing in the matter concluded on Thursday, after which Justice Rao reserved the judgment. The court pronounced its decision on Friday afternoon.