The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday sought response from the State to a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the government to exempt from Census duty PG teachers, more particularly those handling Classes X to XII in government and government-aided schools in southern and central districts falling under its jurisdiction.

The notice was ordered by a Division Bench of Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel which was hearing the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary Post Graduate Teachers Association, represented by its State president emeritus V. Manivasagan of Chennai.

The petitioner said the teachers working in government and government-aided schools were handling classes for students of Classes X to XII, which were of immense academic significance as the students were preparing for public examinations to pursue their future educational and career opportunities.

The Census Charge Officer had issued directions requiring PG teachers to perform Census duty. The Association fully appreciated the importance of Census and acknowledged that it was a vital national exercise, he said.

However, the deployment of PG teachers for Census duty during the ongoing academic session would seriously affect classroom teaching, completion of syllabus, revision classes, doubt-clearing sessions, conduct of unit tests, internal assessments and other academic activities essential for effective learning and preparing the students to effectively face the public examinations, he said.

There were teachers aged over 55. There were also teachers who were undergoing medical treatment. Such teachers could not be forced and expected to do a strenuous activity, he said.

Instead, the assistance from non-teaching staff, primary school teachers, secondary grade teachers, employees working in various government departments, and local bodies and NGOs could be sought, he said. The court posted the matter for hearing to August 20.

Published - August 11, 2026 08:24 pm IST