India, Jan. 3 -- Already burdened with teaching duties and election-related work, schoolteachers across Maharashtra are now being asked to take on yet another responsibility, keeping stray dogs out of school premises, a move that has triggered sharp protests from teachers' organisations.

The school education department has issued instructions directing schools to appoint teachers as nodal officers to monitor and prevent the entry of stray dogs on campus. The directive, based on a communication from the Education Commissioner dated December 30, has been circulated to school principals, including those in Mumbai's north division, asking them to submit the names of teachers assigned to this role.

Under the order, every government, aided, p...