Teachers Or Ride Inspectors? Gujarat Engineering Professors Assigned Fair Duty Ahead Of Janmashtami
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Ahead of the Janmashtami celebrations, Gujarat government engineering college professors have been assigned an unusual additional responsibility — inspecting amusement rides at fairs across the state. The move, aimed at preventing accidents at festival fairs, has sparked resentment among teachers and concerns among students and parents over the impact on regular classes.
Professors Asked To Inspect Rides At Fairs
Under the Home Department’s Amusement Park and Ride Safety Notification, 2024, district Collectors have the authority to form committees to inspect amusement rides at fairs.
The committees are to include state, board and corporation officials of at least Class-2 rank, along with qualified electrical, civil and mechanical engineers.
As part of the arrangements for upcoming Janmashtami fairs, professors from the mechanical and electrical departments of government degree and diploma engineering colleges have also been assigned inspection duties.
Teachers From Saurashtra Among Those Deployed
Professors from government engineering colleges and polytechnics in districts including Amreli, Morbi, Junagadh and Rajkot have reportedly been given responsibilities related to fair safety.
Their duties include checking electrical installations and examining the installation and safety of amusement rides at fairs and game zones.
Sources said around three to four teachers from each college have been assigned such work.
Students’ Education Raises Concern
The additional duty has reportedly kept several teachers occupied with inspections for the past few days, raising concerns that regular teaching is being affected.
Professors have also expressed resentment over being assigned the responsibility at a time when government engineering colleges are already facing staff shortages.
Students and parents have also reportedly raised concerns over the impact on classroom teaching.
While the inspections have been ordered as a safety measure to prevent accidents during the Janmashtami fairs, the deployment of teaching staff has triggered a debate over whether engineering professors should be diverted from their academic responsibilities for such duties.
