Delhi MCD Schools Face Teacher Shortage, Exceeding RTE Limits
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools are dealing with a severe teacher shortage, leading to overcrowded classrooms. With only 18,494 teachers available, each one now manages an average of 43 students, exceeding the Right to Education (RTE) Act’s limit of 30. An audit report obtained through RTI highlights 7,928 vacant teaching positions, impacting the education of 7.9 lakh students.
Key Findings from the Audit Report
- Teachers required: 26,422
- Teachers available: 18,494
- Shortage: 7,928
- Current student-teacher ratio: 1:43 (mandated: 1:30)
- Total MCD primary schools: 2,720
Impact on Students and Teachers
Due to the shortage, schools have been forced to merge students from different grades and language mediums, creating challenging learning environments. Many teachers now handle multiple grades at once, making it difficult to provide quality instruction.
🔹 Students Struggle to Learn – Many must sit with peers from different grades or language mediums (Hindi, English, Urdu). As a result, lessons become confusing, making comprehension difficult.
🔹 Overburdened Teachers – Handling two different classes simultaneously has increased the workload for teachers. Consequently, lesson delivery suffers, and students struggle to keep up.
🔹 Parental Concerns – Many parents fear that their children are not receiving proper education. Some question how students can grasp lessons effectively in such overcrowded conditions.
Problems in Teacher Transfers and Recruitment
The audit also flagged errors in teacher transfers and postings. While some schools received excess staff, others remained understaffed. Additionally, the hiring of nursery and primary teachers under a combined vacancy resulted in misplaced appointments, with educators assigned to grades beyond their training.
MCD’s Response and Recruitment Plans
In response to the crisis, MCD officials have outlined recruitment efforts:
✔ 1,715 nursery and 445 primary teacher posts remain vacant.
✔ DSSSB is processing 1,261 nursery and 1,147 primary teacher recruitments.
✔ 1,428 special educators are currently working in MCD schools.
Although these measures aim to address the issue, the student-teacher ratio remains critically high. Urgent action is necessary to fill vacancies and improve education quality in MCD schools.
