150 Government Schools in Himachal Functioning Without Teachers, 3,500 Have Only One
Himachal Pradesh: Despite an overall 1:10 student-teacher ratio, Himachal Pradesh faces an acute staffing crisis due to geographical imbalances. Education Minister Rohit Thakur revealed 150 schools operate with zero teachers and 3,500 with a single teacher. The state is implementing rationalisation and hiring 6,500 additional educators to bridge the gap.
Himachal Pradesh: In a meeting of the State Assembly, the Himachal Pradesh Education Minister, Rohit Thakur, pointed out that there are around 150 government schools in the state which do not have any teachers and about 3,500 schools where only one teacher is working. Such a mismatch in the staff strength prevails despite the fact that Himachal Pradesh enjoys one of the best PTR ratios in the country, being 1:10. This is due to the fact that there is a huge discrepancy in the geographical spread of teachers rather than the total number of staff available.
While urban and easily accessible areas have an excess of teachers, the far-off and hilly areas have a scarcity of teachers, making some classes in far-off places without any teacher at all. The issue was raised during Zero Hour by BJP MLA Reena Kashyap that there are 12 primary schools in her constituency of Pachhad where there are no teachers at all, compelling some villagers to arrange for teachers from private institutions using their own money. In an effort to bridge the gap, the state government has embarked on a rationalisation process whereby employees are reorganised and understaffed institutions are merged. Education Minister Thakur observed that 9,000 teaching positions have already been filled, and 6,500 more will be hired before the present government leaves office.
Key Highlights of the Assembly Exchange
Below are the key highlights of the Key Highlights of the Assembly Exchange:
| Parameter | Details |
| Issue Raised By | BJP MLA Reena Kashyap (Pachhad constituency) |
| Response By | Education Minister Rohit Thakur & Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu |
| State Pupil-Teacher Ratio | 1:10 (1 teacher per 10 students on average) |
| Zero-Teacher Schools | 150 schools |
| Single-Teacher Schools | 3,500 schools |
| Low-Enrolment Schools | 2,500 schools (with fewer than 15 students) |
Major Grounds & Public Concerns
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Realities on the Ground in Pachhad: MLA Reena Kashyap pointed out that there are 12 primary schools in her constituency which don’t even have one teacher to teach; some schools have more than 40 students.
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Mismatch Between Urban and Remote: While according to the statistical average of the state, the ratio stands healthy at 1:10, the staffing problem is acute in remote and hilly areas due to concentration in easily approachable urban areas.
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Response from Government and Action Plan: The state government has recruited 9,000 teachers, in addition to which the plan is to recruit 6,500 more during its tenure.
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Assurance from Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to the House that a special policy would be prepared regarding single teacher schools and would ensure postings through rationalisation.
Siddhi Sharma is an education journalist at Jagran Josh. A Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from IP University, she brings sharp newsroom instincts developed during her previous stint at Zee News. At Jagran Josh, Siddhi specializes in decoding the educational updates. Her coverage is highly exam-centric, ranging from curated news blogs for competitive exams to crucial school board and university news. Combining her strong media foundations with a research-driven approach, she creates reliable, high-utility content that helps students and aspirants stay ahead of the curve. Her writing is factual, engaging, and tailored to meet the fast-paced needs of modern learners and exam aspirants.
