The pupil-teacher ratio has improved, but not enough

The Right To Education (RTE) Act recommends a PTR of 30:1 for primary classes and 35:1 for upper primary classes. On paper, India has achieved these targets in a span of seven years. However, one-third of primary schools across India still have higher PTRs than the stipulated norms, according to government’s own figures. The recent District Information System for Education (DISE) report states that 30% of primary and 15% of upper primary schools have PTRs higher than 30:1 and 35:1 though the numbers are not specified. Some private schools in urban areas even have just one teacher for 65-70 students, say academics. 

The rosy overall PTR figures can be understood by this simple logic — PTRs in rural and tribal schools, where the majority of government schools are located, are generally low because of a lack of students in these areas. And 80% of the schools in the country are government-run. Private schools, which are more in demand, have much higher PTR ratios. A 2014 survey by the Maharashtra state education department found that the PTR in government schools was 30:1, while many private schools had 50 students in one classroom. 

An important feature of schools is whether they encourage a climate conducive to teaching and learning. Smaller classes allow teachers to focus more on the needs of individual students, and reduce the amount of class time needed to deal with disruptions. The size of a class also affects the social dynamics among students, especially in their earlier years of schooling, which in turn influences the physical and mental well-being of teachers.

Countries that are part of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average about 16 students for every teacher. The student-teacher ratio ranges from 24 students or more per teacher in Brazil and Mexico, to fewer than 11 in Hungary, Italy, Norway and Poland. India not only lags far behind international standards — it also falls short by its own. In the 1950s, the PTR in primary schools in India was 20:1. 

A study conducted by the Premji Foundation sought to establish a correlation between PTRs and the learning outcomes of children. A survey held at 1,880 government schools in Karnataka revealed that schools with a PTR between 10 and 20 had the best learning levels. Performance dropped sharply as the PTR increased, particularly when the number of children was more than 30.

The DISE report also says that 8.32% of schools in the country have just one teacher, and that out of every 100 teachers, seven are on contractual basis with many of them lacking professional qualifications as well. Moreover, 6,00,000 teaching posts at the primary level are lying vacant in government schools across the country.

Now, 44 lakh children lie beyond the ambit of the RTE Act. Clearly, India needs to work harder — not only to ensure the primary education of all children but also to enhance learning and teaching outcomes. The latter is important because it will attract young talent to a career in teaching, which has of late lost its sheen. It will also improve the quality of the country’s workforce.

The author is principal correspondent with dna