New Delhi— The Delhi government has directed all educational institutions, including schools, to appoint nodal officers to handle matters related to stray dogs and submit their details to the Directorate of Education (DoE). The move has drawn criticism from teachers’ associations, which questioned why departments responsible for animal welfare were not tasked with the responsibility.
In a circular issued by the Caretaking Branch of the DoE, district education officers were instructed to compile and submit details of the nominated nodal officers for all schools, stadiums and sports complexes under their jurisdiction. The information to be shared includes the officer’s name, designation, contact number and email ID. The DoE clarified that responses from individual schools would not be accepted and that only consolidated district-level reports should be submitted, which will then be forwarded to the office of the Delhi Chief Secretary.
According to the circular, the appointed nodal officers will serve as the primary point of contact for issues related to stray dogs. Their contact details are to be displayed prominently outside school buildings and other educational premises to ensure public awareness.
The Directorate of Education stated that the directive has been issued in the interest of public safety and is in compliance with the Supreme Court’s order dated November 7, along with subsequent directions issued during a meeting held on November 20. The department has marked the task as a top priority.
Teachers’ associations, however, have opposed the decision, warning that assigning non-academic responsibilities to educators could adversely affect teaching work and undermine the dignity of the profession. They argued that such duties should be handled by municipal bodies or animal welfare departments rather than schools.
Similar directives involving the deployment of teachers for animal-related responsibilities have previously been issued in several states and Union territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.
