Huge demand for primary teachers

India’s RTE act has brought new challenges. The Act which requires the pupil-teacher ratio to 30:1, the governments across the country need to recruit a large number of teachers.

As per the Govt. estimates there is a requirement of 5.1 lakh additional teachers over next three years. For example UP requires (3.9 lakh) teachers, Bihar (2.2 lakh), Bengal (1 lakh) and Assam will need between 0.1-2 lakh teachers.

India is one of the few countries which has made Right to Education as a fundamental right under its constitution for 6-14 years with about 12.9 lakh elementary schools.

To improve quality of teachers, the central Government made a uniform policy for their recruitment. The policy requires that teachers will be eligible for selection only after they have passed a Teachers’ Eligibility Test. The requirement  to take test for candidates are Class XII pass and a two-year diploma in teachers’ education. Till now some states like West Bengal appoint teachers who are even X pass.

With new norms and the scarcity of teachers in schools most states face a tough challenge in recruitment of the teachers. To meet the need, the central govt. may have to relax these norms.