3.57 lakh teacher posts vacant in government schools, Uttar Pradesh has the most

Government schools across the country face a severe shortage of teachers. A total of 3,57,862 sanctioned teacher posts are vacant, and the effect is showing in children's learning.

The figure has been submitted to the Union Education Ministry by 18 states and Union Territories. About 2,97,050 of the vacant posts are at the primary level. Primary education is considered the foundation of a child's schooling, yet the shortage is seen at this very level. It is creating obstacles in children's learning.

Uttar Pradesh leads in vacancies, with about 1,93,862 posts empty, more than half of all vacancies recorded nationwide. Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan also have thousands of vacant teacher posts.

At the national level, the student-teacher ratio in primary education has improved to an average of 24:1. However, this average does not reflect the real situation in schools in villages and remote areas. In many schools, a single teacher has to teach children of different classes together. In rural schools, one teacher is responsible for handling four to five classes.

Meanwhile, Bihar offers some relief. After efforts to tackle the teacher shortage, the number of single-teacher schools in the state fell from 17,359 to 1,865 in a year, a decline of about 89 per cent. In Jharkhand, on the other hand, the number of single-teacher schools has risen about fivefold, and in West Bengal about threefold.

When one teacher carries the burden of several classes, it is not possible to give each child separate attention. Children who lag behind in reading, writing and mathematics in particular do not get extra help. This could affect their foundational learning, and there is also a concern about the quality of education.

It is therefore necessary to fill vacant posts and provide enough teachers for every class. Raising school enrolment alone will not improve learning levels. It is equally important that every child gets the right teacher and individual guidance. There is also a need to collect information on sanctioned and vacant teacher posts in schools at the local level.