Teacher Shortage Persists, Yet Himachal Leads Nation in Student-Teacher Ratio
Himachal Pradesh may be grappling with thousands of teacher vacancies and a large number of single-teacher schools, but the state continues to maintain the best pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) in the country, according to Education Minister Rohit Thakur.
Sharing details in the Vidhan Sabha during Question Hour, Thakur revealed that 3,214 primary schools and 101 middle schools across the state are currently being managed by a single teacher. In addition, 393 primary schools and three middle schools are functioning with teachers serving on deputation.
Despite these challenges, the state has managed to maintain a favourable student-teacher balance. The minister informed the House that the pupil-teacher ratio stands at 12 students per teacher at the primary level, 11 at the middle-school level, and 10 at the high and senior secondary levels, figures that place Himachal among the best-performing states in the country.
The information came in response to a query jointly raised by BJP legislators Pawan Kajal, Hans Raj, J.R. Katwal and Daleep Thakur, who sought details about staffing in government schools.
At present, government schools in Himachal have 29,155 teachers working against 36,835 sanctioned posts, leaving 5,209 vacancies in key categories such as Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) and Junior Basic Teachers (JBTs). To address the gap, recruitment of 764 TGTs is currently underway through the batch-wise recruitment process against 1,190 vacant posts.
Explaining the situation, the Education Minister said the challenge is not merely a shortage of teachers but also the existence of a large number of schools with very low enrolment. According to him, this often results in resources being spread too thinly, making it difficult to utilise available staff efficiently.
Thakur emphasised that rationalisation of schools and better allocation of teaching resources are essential to improving the quality of education in government institutions. As part of these efforts, the state has already taken steps to merge or reorganise schools with extremely low student numbers.
He informed the House that 1,526 schools with very low enrolment, including 734 schools with no students at all, have been denotified. These schools collectively catered to only 1,796 students. Following the merger and rationalisation exercise, 2,170 teachers were redeployed to schools with higher enrolment, helping strengthen staffing where it was needed most.
The government is also focusing on early childhood education. Thakur announced that 6,297 Nursery Teacher Trainees (NTTs) will be recruited for pre-primary classes through agencies engaged by the Himachal Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation.
The discussion highlighted the contrasting picture of Himachal’s education system: while teacher shortages remain a concern, the state continues to record one of the country’s strongest student-teacher ratios, aided by ongoing recruitment drives and efforts to optimise resources across the school network.
