After Kerala, Rajasthan BLO Dies by Suicide Amid SIR Work Pressure

Jaipur: A government school teacher working as a Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Rajasthan died by suicide on Sunday, reportedly due to intense pressure linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.The incident was reported a day after a similar case emerged from Kerala, raising concerns about the mounting stress faced by BLOs across states.

Mukesh Jangid, 45, a teacher posted at the Government Primary School in Nahri ka Bas, is believed to have ended his life by stepping in front of a train near the Bindayaka railway crossing, Bindayaka SHO Vinod Verma said. His brother, Gajanand, said Jangid had left home on his motorcycle shortly before the incident. According to him, a suicide note was recovered in which Jangid allegedly wrote that he was under severe stress due to SIR duties and that his supervisor had been pressuring him and threatening suspension.

Rajasthan Primary and Secondary Teachers’ Association president Vipin Prakash Sharma said the race to top the SIR rankings at the state, district and subdivision levels has created excessive pressure on BLOs. Sharma added that the association will submit a memorandum to the chief minister on Monday, urging officials not to exert undue pressure on BLOs, especially at a time when half-yearly school examinations are about to begin.

In Kerala, a BLO in Kannur was found dead at his home on Sunday. The deceased, Aneesh George, worked as a peon in a government school in Payyannur and had been assigned BLO responsibilities. His family and local residents alleged that he took the extreme step due to severe stress linked to the SIR exercise.

In West Bengal, 50-year-old anganwadi worker Namita Hansda, who had been given BLO duties, died of a stroke on November 9. Her husband claimed she collapsed due to the heavy workload and stress associated with SIR responsibilities. BLOs in the state have been staging protests, highlighting the intense pressure they are facing.