The Union government expects schoolteachers and students to perform a host of activities, including creating awareness about its schemes, in a pattern that some activists and educationists feel has imperilled teaching-learning activities in schools.

On April 16, the CBSE wrote to its affiliated schools to observe Jal Pakhwada 2026, a programme on water conservation. The letter from the CBSE attached a list of activities issued by the ministry of education (MoE), including asking teachers to visit local areas and create awareness about the government scheme Jal Shakti Abhiyan.

In January, the government prodded the schools to organise a quiz on Operation Sindoor in the run-up to Pariksha Pe Charcha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interactive programme on how to handle exam stress.

In December 2025, the government asked schools to celebrate Veer Baal Divas through essays, poems, debates and presentations on topics that included schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Digital India and Skill India Mission.

Also in December, the government urged schools to organise year-long celebrations on Vande Mataram through the singing of the national song, quiz shows, poster-making, speeches, essay writing and exhibitions.

In November last year, schools were instructed to celebrate Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav and carry out activities on the theme of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, a government initiative. The previous month, the schools had to celebrate Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada, under which the teachers had to organise visits by students to homes of tribal families to understand their culture.

The list goes on. Schools are being periodically asked to carry out activities on government schemes or themes such as health, hygiene, nationalism, protection of the environment and many more.

Three schoolteachers, including two teachers from two government schools, said the activities were increasing every year, eating into the time for teaching-learning exercises.

“When the instruction comes from the government or the CBSE, the school has very little choice. Every letter wants the schools to upload videos and pictures from the events conducted. So the programmes are being held properly with full participation of all students and teachers,” said the teacher from a CBSE-affiliated school, requesting anonymity.

She said it takes a lot of time to prepare for and conduct such programmes. “Students and teachers spend a lot of time preparing for the activities and conducting them. Some activities are held during exams as well,” she said.

Ashok Agrawal, a former member of the Delhi University Executive Council, said the engagement of teachers in non-academic activities amounted to a violation of the Right To Education (RTE) Act. “The RTE Act allows deployment of teachers in census and election duties and relief work. But to ask them to create awareness on government schemes is a clear violation of the law. This shows the government has no interest in the education of children,” Agrawal said.