Ranchi: Noted economist Jean Drèze and rights activist Elina Horo have jointly written to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, drawing attention to the deepening teacher crisis in government schools. In their letter sent on Thursday, they emphasized that the shortage at primary and upper primary levels is a blatant violation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
Alarming Data on Teacher Shortage
The letter cited government data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+) to highlight the severity. "According to UDISE+ data for 2021-22, 30% of government primary schools in Jharkhand had only one teacher," the letter stated. "This is a gross violation of the RTE Act, which mandates at least two teachers per primary school and a pupil-teacher ratio of 30:1."
The situation is worsening over time. The number of single-teacher schools increased from 7,642 in 2022-23 to 9,172 in 2024-25, despite some teacher appointments in 2025. "A severe shortage continues to persist," the letter added.
Impact on Marginalized Communities
Drèze noted that children from tribal, Dalit, and other marginalized communities are most affected, as they have no alternative but to study in government schools. The letter urged the Chief Minister to expedite teacher appointments without delay. "The Government of India stated in the Lok Sabha on September 19, 2020, that approximately one lakh teacher posts are vacant in Jharkhand," Drèze said.
Government Response
A senior official from the school education department acknowledged the shortfall, stating that the government is working to fill vacancies. "Many teachers have been hired, and more recruitments are at various stages," the official said, requesting anonymity.
