Karnataka Survey Delays Strain Govt Staff, Threaten Administrative Functions
Employees overwhelmed as survey delays pile up critical office work.
Frustration is mounting among thousands of Karnataka government employees as the state’s ambitious Socio-Economic and Educational Survey drags far beyond its original timeline, exacerbating severe staff shortages and threatening to paralyze essential administrative functions across departments.
Launched on September 22 with a firm deadline of October 7, the survey achieved only 60% coverage in most districts, forcing the government to extend operations first to October 18 and now, in Bengaluru, until October 31. While teachers have been officially relieved from fieldwork, over 1,600 secretariat staff remain deployed on the ground, leaving critical governance machinery in disarray.
The Karnataka Government Employees’ Association has issued a second urgent appeal to the Chief Secretary, demanding immediate exemption for educators scheduled to appear for the Karnataka State Eligibility Test (SET) on November 2. “These assistant professor aspirants need time to prepare. Forcing them into survey duty is unjust and counterproductive,” the association stated in its latest letter.
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At the heart of the crisis lies the Karnataka Secretariat, where staff handle high-stakes responsibilities including Central-State correspondence, contempt of court responses, cabinet meeting agendas, RTI compliance, and ongoing litigation. Association President Ramesh Sanga warned that prolonged absence of key personnel risks “systemic collapse” in administrative coordination. “Secretariat staff are not field enumerators. Their absence stalls decisions that impact the entire state,” he emphasized.
Official sources confirmed that departments already operating with 30-40% vacancies are now functioning at skeletal capacity. “One officer is managing the workload of two or three. With survey duties, files are piling up, deadlines are missed, and public grievances remain unaddressed,” a senior bureaucrat told The New Indian Express on condition of anonymity.
The ripple effect extends beyond Vidhana Soudha. District collectors’ offices, zilla panchayats, and taluk administrations report communication breakdowns due to absent staff. “No one is available to draft replies, forward directives, or process payments. The survey may collect data, but governance is grinding to a halt,” a senior association member said.
Employees in Bengaluru’s secretariat have threatened mass withdrawal from survey duties if not relieved immediately. “We were assured temporary deputation. Now it feels indefinite. Our core responsibilities cannot wait,” one staffer said.
With Deepavali holidays just concluded and no clarity on post-October 31 plans, pressure is building on the state government to prioritize administrative stability. Critics argue that relying on already overstretched employees for large-scale surveys without backfilling positions reflects poor planning and disregard for public service delivery.
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