PANAJI
The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2.0 campaign in Goa, aimed at cleansing and updating the electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 elections, is causing widespread disruption in the functioning of educational institutions across the state.
With key administrative and support staff being reassigned to voter verification duties, schools and colleges are grappling with a severe manpower crunch that threatens to derail routine operations.
Under the directive of the Election Commission, a large number of Head Clerks, Upper Division Clerks (UDCs), Lower Division Clerks (LDCs), and Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) have been deployed as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and booth volunteers.
This staff, which typically manages admin, maintain records, coordinate examinations, and ensure the smooth functioning in schools and colleges, are now tasked with door-to-door verification of voter details.
The impact has been particularly acute in aided institutions, where administrative staff is already stretched thin.
In some institutions, even laboratory assistants and physical education (PE) teachers have been pulled into the SIR exercise, leaving schools without essential instructional and operational support.
“This sudden redeployment has left us scrambling,” said the principal of a higher secondary school in South Goa.
“We are unable to manage internal assessments, or even maintain basic records. The staff who know the systems best are out in the field doing electoral work,” the principal said.
Adding to the crisis is the Education Department’s reported reluctance to issue No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to heads of institutions seeking to hire temporary replacements. Without these NOCs, schools and colleges are unable to bring in contractual staff to fill the gaps, exacerbating the administrative paralysis.
“The department’s refusal to grant NOCs is baffling. They expect institutions to function normally while simultaneously stripping them of the very personnel who make that possible. It’s a recipe for chaos,” said another headmaster attached to an aided school in Ponda.
The timing of the SIR 2.0 campaign has also raised concerns, coinciding with the academic calendar’s busiest period post the Diwali vacation -- mid-term examinations, and preparation for board exams.
Educators warn that continued disruption could have long-term consequences for students, especially those in critical years of study.
The SIR 2.0 campaign is expected to continue through December and pressure is mounting on the Education Department to reconsider its stance on NOCs and explore alternative staffing solutions.
Without swift intervention, Goa’s schools and colleges may face a prolonged period of dysfunction — one that could impact thousands of students across the State.
