Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Congress today criticized the state government over the condition of the education sector and alleged that teachers are being compelled to attend political functions instead of focusing on teaching duties.

According to party spokesperson Hemang Rawal, district education authorities have issued instructions directing two staffers from every school to attend a felicitation event for newly appointed party president Jagdish Vishwakarma on October 17, 2025, instead of their regular duties. Rawal claimed that the department has also circulated an official Google Form to ensure attendance, terming it an “unauthorized and politically motivated” move.

The Congress has also drawn attention to the recently released 2024 national assessment report by PARAKH, which revealed that Gujarat’s performance in the education sector remains below expectations. The state failed to make it to the list of top 10 performing states and was instead listed among the 10 lowest-performing states, the opposition party said.

Rawal further claimed that more than 80% of teachers’ working time is diverted to non-academic duties assigned by the state government.

Rawal also criticized the “contradiction” between Vishwakarma’s public appeal to gift books instead of bouquets and the administration’s directive that allegedly interrupts academic activities. “It is ironic that the government speaks about education on one hand, and on the other hand, disrupts it for political events,” he added.

The Congress has demanded an immediate withdrawal of the order and called for accountability from education department officials. DeshGujarat