“The imposition of a wide range of non-teaching duties, such as that of manning poll booths and collecting data for surveys etc, cuts into the available teaching time and also undermines the professional status of teachers,” the NKC said in its proposal submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in February this year.

Minister of State for HRD D Purandeswari quoted from the report in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

She said the Commission is of the view that these activities should be shared by a wider range of public employees or even those hired specifically for the purpose and the burden of such work on teachers must be reduced.

“Specifically, unemployed local youth and recently retired people must be considered for such activities as far as possible,” Purandeswari said.

She added, education being a concurrent subject, most schools come under the purview of state governments and it is for them to take appropriate action in the matter.