Gujarat to form committee to reduce teachers’ non-academic workload

Gujarat Education Minister Dr. Pradyuman Vaja chaired a high-level meeting in Gandhinagar on October 17, 2026, to address the additional workload faced by primary and secondary school teachers. The meeting focused on strategies to reduce non-academic duties, enabling educators to concentrate more on classroom teaching and learning.

The Minister directed the formation of a special committee comprising senior officials to study the issue in detail and submit a report to the state government. This move is part of a mission-mode effort to simplify teachers’ work and is aimed at improving the quality of education in the state, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Focus on Reducing Non-Academic Duties

The primary objective of the initiative is to reduce the non-academic workload and online tasks assigned to teachers. Dr. Vaja emphasized that the classroom is a teacher’s true workplace, highlighting the importance of their role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, as envisioned by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The meeting reviewed various duties, including teacher training, data entry on online portals, and other tasks assigned by different departments.

Teachers in Gujarat have previously raised concerns regarding non-academic duties, such as Booth-Level Officer (BLO) responsibilities, and the additional burden of online data entry during SIR work for BLO duties, often without technical support. This new committee is expected to address these long-standing issues, prioritizing the reduction of unnecessary online data entry and non-academic tasks.

Formation and Mandate of the Special Committee

A special committee will be constituted with senior officials from key educational bodies. This committee will include representatives from the Education Department, the Gujarat Council of Educational Research and Training (GCERT), Samagra Shiksha, and the Commissioner of Schools. Their mandate is to conduct a detailed study of the existing non-academic workload and online tasks.

The committee is tasked with submitting a detailed report to the state government, which will then make a final decision based on its recommendations. Principal Secretary of the Education Department Milind Torawane, Director of Primary Education Prakash Trivedi, and other senior officials from the Education Department, GCERT, and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan were present at the meeting.

Context and Broader Implications

The move to reduce teachers’ non-academic workload comes when you look at ongoing efforts to smooth out educational administration and enhance teaching effectiveness. Previously, concerns have been raised about government school teachers being absent from duty for extended periods, with some even residing abroad. The state government has taken action against such teachers, including investigations and termination of services for those absent for over a year.

The Vidya Samiksha Kendra (Command and Control Centre) in Gandhinagar already tracks the attendance of teachers and students in government and aided schools, indicating a broader focus on accountability and efficiency. Similar initiatives have been seen in other states, such as Maharashtra, where a committee recommended that teachers should be exclusively engaged in tasks related to the education department, with exceptions only for national decennial census, elections, and natural calamities.

Further reading

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• NEET UG twice a year? Education Ministry draft proposes major exam reforms

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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