Parliament panel flags nearly 10 lakh teaching vacancies in schools, asks to stop contractual hiring
The panel has recommended that vacancies in central government-run schools be filled with permanent appointees by 31 March 2026, and also called for firm action against states that fail to comply with the Centre's directives on filling these posts.
New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has said there are about 10 lakh teaching vacancies in the school education system across the country, including in central institutions like Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs), as well as those run by state governments.
According to the report, based on data submitted by the Union Ministry of Education, around 10 lakh teaching posts in the school education system are currently vacant across the country.
The report states that in the academic year 2023–24, there were 63,26,207 sanctioned teaching posts at primary and secondary levels, out of which 9,59,148 remained vacant. In 2024–25, the number of sanctioned posts increased to 69,85,760, but the number of vacancies also rose to 9,82,662
The committee raised serious concerns over the high number of vacancies in JNVs and KVs, calling the situation 'alarming'.
'There are overall 30 to 50% vacancies in KVs and NVs also and contractual appointments of teachers are being done in spite of repeated recommendation of the Committee to fill-up the vacancies,' the report stated.
The committee directed the Department of School Education and Literacy to appoint regular/permanent teachers in centrally administered schools no later than 31 March 2026, and to update the committee on the progress.
The committee also urged the Department of School Education and Literacy to take a firm stand on the issue of vacancies in schools funded under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)—which covers almost all state government-run schools.
'Teachers' salary component of SSA funds of those states which do not comply with the directions of the Department (of school education) to fill up the vacancies with regular/permanent teachers, should be kept in abeyance till the respective States comply with the directives of the Central Government,' the committee recommended.
Also Read: What's behind Union MoS Anupriya Patel's jibe at Yogi govt on 'denial' of reserved seats to OBCs, SC/STs
'Stop contractual appointments'
The House panel also recommended the Union Ministry of Education discontinue the practice of contractual appointments in central government schools, stating that it adversely affects the quality of education and undermines the constitutional provisions of reservation for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwD categories.
It further recommended the ministry take up the issue of contractual teacher appointments with state governments as well.
Meanwhile, the committee has recommended against the National Council for Teacher Education's (NCTE) plan to discontinue the Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) programme—a four-year specialised degree designed to prepare teachers for the elementary level.
'B. El. Ed is a specialized four-year degree with focus on elementary education pedagogy, a crucial developmental stage for children, and its discontinuation based on factors like the number of institutions or structural alignment is a short-sighted approach that risks dismantling a proven program instead of strengthening and expanding it to meet the demand for qualified elementary teachers across the country,' the committee stated.
Earlier this year, the NCTE issued draft regulations proposing the discontinuation of the B.El.Ed programme from the 2026–27 academic session. The four-year course, launched in 1994–95, is intended to prepare teachers for Classes 1 to 8.
Under the new policy direction, institutions currently offering B.El.Ed will need to transition to the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: No schools left without teachers, 80% decline in those with only one teacher: Chhattisgarh govt
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
HC questions identical statements of 7 cops in Laxman case
1 2 Hyderabad: Telangana high court, hearing a petition filed by Rajya Sabha MP K Laxman seeking to quash a criminal case registered against him during the Huzurnagar by-election, Thursday sought an explanation from the state on the identical statements of police personnel examined as witnesses in the case. Not just the statements, but each line, every word, and the number of lines on each page are identical, pointed out the court, while posting the matter to August 22 for further hearing. "There are statements of seven independent witnesses in the case and all are identical. The state is directed to explain the identical contents word by word in all these statements," Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya said, while hearing the matter. The state counsel informed the judge that the statements could be identical as they were being translated from Telugu to English and assured to explain the concerns raised by the judge during the next hearing. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad | Gold Rates Today in Hyderabad | Silver Rates Today in Hyderabad Earlier, Laxman's counsel argued that during the campaign for the by-election held in 2019, authorities had granted them permission to hold a rally with not more than 150 persons. However, a case was registered on the allegations of unlawful assembly with around 50 persons and also obstruction of traffic movement and forceful restraint. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo "But cops do not produce any photo or video evidence to support their allegations. They also allege violations of the Model Code of Conduct, but there is no specific detail of the alleged violations," the counsel argued. The BJP MP's counsel further argued that the case was politically motivated without any evidence and vague allegations and urged the court to quash the case. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Trump's Social Security proclamation: POTUS makes massive announcement; ‘kicked 275K aliens out'
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday, celebrating the 90th anniversary of Social Security and revealing several changes during his second term. Among other things, the 79-year-old announced that his administration has 'kicked out' as many as 275,000 illegal immigrants out of the program. He further added that about 2.4 million names, over 120 years old, were removed from the database. President Donald Trump signs a proclamation in the Oval Office of the White House(Bloomberg) However, the biggest announcement of Thursday was about no tax on Social Security for seniors. 'As Social Security celebrates its 90th anniversary, the Trump Administration's bold improvements to customer service, technology, and efficiency have positioned the agency to provide quicker access and greater value for the beneficiaries it serves,' the White House said in a press release. 'That includes President Trump making good on his No Tax on Social Security campaign promise. Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill — now the law of the land — the vast majority of seniors receiving Social Security will no longer pay taxes on that income.' Under President Trump, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has rolled out sweeping reforms (per the press release): Customer Service Overhaul The agency is managing 70% more calls than last year while slashing the average wait time by 80%, from half an hour to just six minutes. Enhanced automation now handles 90% of calls to the national helpline through self-service tools or callbacks, sharply reducing hold times. Wait times at field offices have dropped by 23%, and scheduled appointments are up fivefold compared to last year. For the first time in years, all field offices are fully staffed, with employees back in the office five days a week to better assist the public. Major Technology Upgrades Americans now have uninterrupted, round-the-clock access to their SSA online accounts, eliminating the previous 29-hour weekly downtime. This change alone allowed more than 280,000 additional customers to log in within the first two weeks. A modern recording and transcription system, replacing outdated hardware, is nearly complete — improving accuracy and saving millions annually. Updated phone systems have been deployed to 92% of field offices, improving call quality and efficiency. Backlog Reduction and Faster Service Initial disability claim backlogs have been reduced by 26% from last year's peak, with processing times cut by five days. Disability hearing wait times have also dropped by 60 days. More than 3.1 million payments, totaling over $17 billion, were issued under the Social Security Fairness Act, five months ahead of schedule. Tighter Oversight and Cost Savings The SSA has identified over $1 billion in savings and efficiencies this fiscal year. Efforts to curb improper payments have recovered and prevented billions in losses. A long-delayed payroll information exchange is finally launching, enabling direct data transfers from payroll providers and projected to save billions over the next decade.
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Upskilling necessary for adapting to new technologies: Dy Chairman tells Rajya Sabha interns
NEW DELHI: Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, while addressing the interns under the Rajya Sabha Internship Programme at Parliament House on Thursday, emphasised the importance of upskilling in order to successfully adapt to the age of rapid technological advancement. He cited various examples to illustrate both the opportunities and challenges presented by the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He urged the candidates to concentrate on acquiring the right knowledge and skills, rather than becoming overly reliant on technology. He highlighted that embracing new technology is not only essential for enhancing individual productivity, but also plays a crucial role in strengthening governance at the grassroots level. Citing the example of the PM-Jan Dhan Yojana, he pointed out that the digital infrastructure provided by Aadhaar, combined with the widespread use of mobile phones, has significantly improved banking coverage—something that would have taken decades using traditional methods.
