The education department in Jammu & Kashmir has directed teachers to monitor and report stray dog sightings in and around school premises, sparking widespread outrage from teachers' unions and political parties. Critics have called the directives "shocking" and "atrocious," arguing that they undermine the dignity and professional roles of educators.
Orders issued at the district level in Poonch and Kupwara require schools to nominate teachers to report dog sightings, coordinate with municipal bodies, and ensure preventive measures within school campuses. The appointed teacher, designated as a nodal officer, will be responsible for logging stray dog sightings, notifying municipal staff, and collaborating with civic officials. Schools are also instructed to publicly display the nodal officer's name and contact information on school boundary walls. Heads of institutions are required to submit the nodal officer's details to the Chief Education Officer's (CEO) office.
The directive follows a meeting on December 3rd, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner of Poonch, to address concerns related to stray dogs and animal birth control. The J&K Housing and Urban Development Department has also directed all urban local bodies to map hospitals, schools, stadiums, and other institutions within two weeks to prevent stray dogs from entering these premises.
The order has been met with strong opposition from the teaching community, who feel the task is disrespectful and inconsistent with their typical responsibilities. Many argue that monitoring stray dogs falls outside their professional duties and adds to their already heavy workload. Some education professionals have termed the assignment as an "insult" to the profession. Abdul Qayoom Wani, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Forum (JKCSF), has strongly condemned the move, stating that such tasks should be handled by the municipality and animal husbandry departments, not educators.
Academics have argued that while stray dog management is a genuine public safety concern, assigning teachers to handle duties such as reporting sightings and coordinating with municipal bodies sends a disturbing message about societal priorities and erodes the respect traditionally accorded to the teaching profession. A professor at Kashmir University stated that it is irrational and humiliating to ask teachers to manage stray dogs instead of deploying staff from relevant departments. Another senior academic remarked that a society that does not respect its teachers never progresses, and asking educators to oversee stray dog management shows misplaced administrative thinking.
Several educationists have urged authorities to withdraw the directive and assign the responsibility to municipal, animal husbandry, and local body teams trained for such tasks, allowing teachers to focus on academic and institutional development. They maintain that teachers are nation builders entrusted with shaping young minds and should not be burdened with responsibilities that fall under the purview of other departments.
In November, the Supreme Court ordered the permanent removal of stray dogs from educational institutions, sports facilities, bus and railway stations, and hospitals.
