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Kerala government rejects poll panels proposal to deploy schoolchildren for conducting SIR

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Government has objected to a proposal from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) - Kerala seeking to utilise the services of school children for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In a statement, General Education Minister V Sivankutty said deploying volunteers of National Service Scheme (NSS) and National Cadet Corps (NCC) from schools would disrupt their studies. The Minister said academic activities were going ahead in full swing in the states schools with the terminal exams round the corner. In such a scenario,deploying students for enumeration anddigitisation works of SIR for 10 days at a stretchcannot be accepted, the minister said. Even though social service activities are encouraged among NSS and NCC volunteers, deploying them for such duties for a prolonged period was improper as it would lead to loss of instructional days,the Minister reminded. Sivankutty said directions have been given to officials of the General Education Department to ensure that students are not deprived of their classes.The Ministeradded that 5523 staff, including 2.,938 teacherof the General Education Department have already been deployed as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for SIR-related work. Meanwhile, SIR was fast progressing in the state with digitisation of 28% of the enumeration forms already completed. According to CEO-Kerala Rathan U Kelkar, the enumeration phase of SIR is expected to be completed soon.