Last Updated:December 11, 2025, 04:22 IST Officials behind these directives defend the measures as necessary for student safety and compliance with higher judicial or administrative mandates In Chhattisgarh, the state’s Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) reportedly instructed teachers to actively prevent the entry of stray dogs—and even snakes, scorpions, and other venomous creatures—into school premises. Representational image A controversy has erupted over government authorities in some states issuing directives that push teachers into roles far outside the classroom. In parts of India, educators are being assigned duties ranging from monitoring stray dogs to guarding against venomous wildlife. In Jammu and Kashmir, teachers across government and private schools have reportedly been formally designated as nodal officers for monitoring and reporting stray dog populations. Under a new order, educators must coordinate with municipal and animal husbandry authorities and display their contact information for rapid response. For many teachers, the mandate felt surreal: the people trained to teach mathematics and literature are suddenly responsible for tracking feral dogs. Then in Chhattisgarh, the state’s Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) reportedly …