Over 27,000 teachers post lie vacant in government schools

Even as the Delhi government boasts of providing the best educational facilities in the state-run schools, but there is vacancy of over 27,000 permanent teachers in the Delhi government schools, says an affidavit which was filed by the Directorate of Education (DoE) in the Delhi High Court.

According to the affidavit, the total sanctioned positions of teachers in the city government schools as on January 1 is 59,409. But only 51,763 positions have been filled by the DoE taking the deficient percentage to 12.87 per cent. The figures of the sanctioned strength however exclude the vice principals and principals of the schools.

The affidavit was given in the reply of a petition filed by social jurist Advocate Ashok Agarwal, who sought the immediate filling of vacancies in the schools, and questioned the functioning of the system in dearth of the staffs.

The reply also says that as many as 449 vacancies of principals exist in the schools against 946 sanctioned posts. Similarly, about 716 posts for vice principals are vacant against the sanctioned figures of 1660.

However, according to Agarwal, the vacancies are much more than stated by the Delhi government.

"Out of the total sanctioned strength of 59,796 teaching posts including principals, vice principals and special educators, the vacancies stand to 27,142. They are misleading the numbers by including the guest teachers in the count. "On the date of hearing, the High Court also told the Delhi government that they should send a requisition to the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board to fill vacancies,"Agarwal said.