The Allahabad High Court has held that the absence of teachers from government primary schools defeats the very purpose of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, and declined to interfere with the suspension of two teachers found missing during an official inspection. The Court has also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to frame a concrete policy within three months to ensure teachers’ regular presence in schools.
Justice Prakash Padia made these observations while dismissing writ petitions filed by two primary school teachers, Indra Devi and Leena Singh Chauhan, who had challenged their suspension orders passed by the District Basic Education Officer. The suspensions were imposed after both teachers were found absent from their respective schools during inspection.
Refusing to grant any relief, the Court underscored the central role of teachers in the education system, describing them as the “pillars of knowledge” and noting that they are traditionally revered as “Guru” in Indian culture. It stressed that the State carries a constitutional and statutory obligation to ensure uninterrupted and effective education for children, particularly at the primary level.
In its order dated December 2, the Court took judicial notice of the widespread problem of absenteeism among teachers in government primary schools across Uttar Pradesh. “It is a well-known fact that in a large number of primary institutions throughout the State of U.P., teachers are not attending the institution on time,” the Court observed.
The Bench further noted that such lapses regularly come to the Court’s attention. “The matters are coming every day before this Court in which allegations were made against the teachers and headmasters of the institution to the effect that they are not attending the institution within time,” the order said, adding that such conduct directly hampers the delivery of education guaranteed under law.
Emphasising systemic reform, the Court directed the State government to frame a policy within three months aimed at ensuring the physical presence and accountability of teachers in schools. The direction signals a broader push to address chronic absenteeism and strengthen the implementation of the Right to Education Act at the grassroots level.
By upholding the suspension orders and issuing policy directions, the High Court sent a clear message that laxity in discharging educational duties will not be condoned, especially when it affects children’s fundamental right to education.
