Teachers, students under pressure due to new norms, say Navyaandhra association leaders

Leaders of Navyandhra Teachers’ Association on Tuesday alleged that teachers and students were subjected to severe mental stress under the guise of the 100-day action plan. In a statement, the association’s State president K. Harikrishna and general secretary M. Srinivasa Rao said the conduct of frequent examinations had turned the process into a chaotic exercise, creating undue pressure and also resulting in students developing a fear for exams. They said instead of opposing the corporate-style education system, it was being forcibly implemented in government schools. “Teachers are being subjected to arrogant, authoritarian, and intimidating remarks by officials, causing immense stress,'’ they said. Teachers were instructed to stay in schools until 5 p.m. to conduct examinations, evaluate answer papers and upload marks online by 10 a.m. the next day, forcing them to work late into the night in clear violation of personal freedom. This pressure, they said, also adversely affects the teachers’ families. Accusing the Education Department Commissioner of “overstepping his role by interfering in every matter”, they said it would not be tolerated if teachers were not allowed to teach freely. They found fault with the department's decision to complete the entire syllabus meant for a full academic year within six months in a rushed manner and follow it up by revision and daily tests. “If Class 10 results do not meet the expectations, the responsibility lies squarely with the Education Department officials and not teachers,” they said. They alleged that teachers were now forced to teach in an atmosphere of constant fear, without the freedom to adapt lesson plans based on local conditions and students’ comprehension levels. They said while state-level officials should issue directions through the proper administrative hierarchy, they were instead directly targeting teachers, creating severe psychological pressure. Referring to the G.O. No. 117, they said despite staging multiple agitations highlighting its flaws, most of its provisions continued unchanged. “The drastic reduction in teacher strength, increase in section sizes, and excessive workload have destroyed the pleasant academic atmosphere in schools,” they alleged, adding that officials were continuously introducing new measures that brought immense pressure on the teaching community. The Navyaandhra Teachers Association leaders urged the Minister for Human Resource Development Nara Lokesh “to intervene and initiate immediate measures against officials responsible for the current situation.” Published - December 23, 2025 09:38 pm IST

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