More than one in every four sanctioned teacher posts for Classes XI and XII in Haryana government schools remains vacant, sparking concerns over education quality and compliance with the Right to Education (RTE) Act, according to official records.
Vacancy Statistics Across Levels
Data from the Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting on the Annual Work Plan and Budget 2026-27 under Samagra Shiksha reveals that 5,573 out of 21,311 sanctioned senior secondary teacher posts (26.2%) are unfilled. At the elementary stage (Classes I-VIII), 8,449 of 60,396 posts (14%) are vacant, while at the secondary level (Classes IX-X), 2,413 of 19,792 posts (12.2%) remain empty.
PAB Advises Expedited Recruitment
The PAB expressed concern over the high vacancy rate and advised the state to fast-track hiring. “In light of this sizeable number of vacancies, the state was advised to expedite the filling of vacant positions to ensure adequate staffing in both elementary and secondary schools,” the minutes state. Principal Secretary of School Education, Vijay Singh Dahiya, informed the board that recruitment is underway and vacancies will be filled soon.
Rise in Single-Teacher Schools
The review highlighted a sharp increase in single-teacher government primary schools, from 696 in 2023-24 to 968 in 2024-25, accounting for nearly 11% of all government primary schools in the state. The PAB noted that the percentage of primary schools with an adverse pupil-teacher ratio also rose from 21.5% to 22.1% over the same period. “The state is requested to undertake a detailed review and appropriate corrective measures, and ensure compliance with RTE norms at all levels,” the minutes added.
Teacher Education Institutions Face Severe Shortages
Vacancies in the state’s 21 functional District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) have increased to 62%, up from 59% last year. In contrast, vacancies at the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) have declined to 33% from 49%. The PAB urged Haryana to fill these positions with qualified teacher educators or through deputation.
Low Enrolment and Infrastructure Gaps
The report also noted a rise in the number of government schools with very low enrolment. The state informed the board it is strengthening cluster schools and providing free transport to students. “The state is strengthening cluster schools and providing free transport, and assured that this will be resolved soon,” the minutes recorded. Additionally, Haryana has 63 habitations without access to primary schools, 112 without upper primary schools, 132 villages without secondary schools, and 215 villages without higher secondary schools.
Massive Spill-Over in Civil Works
The PAB flagged a massive Rs 691.88-crore spill-over in civil works. Of the Rs 887.71 crore approved, only Rs 195.82 crore has been spent. As many as 67 of the 71 works sanctioned in 2025-26 are yet to begin, while 2,746 projects from previous years also remain pending. “All pending civil works sanctioned during 2018-19 to 2020-21 should be thoroughly reviewed, and works which have not been started or already completed under convergence with other schemes should be treated as cancelled,” the minutes said. No new non-recurring activities have been proposed in the current budget due to the huge spill-over, and the state has been urged to complete all pending works during the current financial year.
Principal Secretary Dahiya stated, “We will soon launch the implementation plan on recommendations by the PAB.”
