Haryana: About 34% of 1.2L sanctioned school teaching posts vacant: Sampat Singh

Addressing a press conference, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader said this has forced children from poor and rural families to attend expensive private schools.

Former Haryana minister, Sampat Singh on Monday blamed the BJP government in the state for weakening the public education system by not filling about 34% of vacant teacher posts in secondary and senior secondary schools.

The government blames the opposition by citing a so-called “recruitment-blocking gang” (Bharti Roko Gang), he alleged. (HT File)

Addressing a press conference, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader said this has forced children from poor and rural families to attend expensive private schools. “Administrative negligence, a freeze on teacher recruitment, and continuous cuts to the education budget have left the school and higher education systems in a shambles.

The government blames the opposition by citing a so-called “recruitment-blocking gang” (Bharti Roko Gang). However, this gang operates at the behest of the government itself. The results of the AMO recruitment were revised for the fourth time following high court directives, revealing major flaws in the selection process. The government itself actively hindered recruitment by repeatedly altering the rules,’’ Singh alleged.

Singh said that over the past 12 years, approximately 5,000 government primary schools have either been closed or merged with other schools. Consequently, student enrolment has dropped below 10 in hundreds of schools, and more than a thousand schools are left with only a single teacher, he said. “Approximately 6,000 government pre-primary “smart play-way” schools are being run out of village community centers (chaupals) and old-age homes.

These facilities lack both adequate infrastructure and trained teachers. Regular recruitment of primary and other teachers has been virtually at a standstill since 2014; subsequently, citing declining student numbers. More than 1.22 lakh teaching posts are sanctioned at the secondary and senior secondary levels in the state. Of these, approximately 34% (40,971) remain vacant. Instead of teaching, teachers are being assigned non-academic duties such as those of a booth level officer which adversely affects government education,’’ he said.

The INLD leader said the state of higher education is equally concerning. Haryana’s 186 government colleges are facing a severe institutional crisis. About 60% of assistant professor posts are vacant. Many colleges operate out of dilapidated buildings, temple rooms, and tin sheds. Student enrollment in government colleges has dropped to 29 %. In some colleges, student numbers have dwindled to single digits; 53 colleges have recorded enrolments of fewer than 50 students, he maintained.