Move to Improve Quality of Education and Correct Imbalance in Teacher Deployment
Teachers to be Recruired Soon
Proposal Sent to Finance Department; Recruitment Process to Begin Upon Approval
Surplus Teachers to Be Deployed in Schools with One or No Teacher
In a press conference held in Raigarh today under Sushasan Tihar campaign, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said that the decision of the state government to implement rationalisation in school education is firmly in the interest of students and aimed at improving the quality of education in Chhattisgarh.
Highlighting the existing imbalance in teacher deployment across the state, Chief Minister emphasized, “There are schools with no teachers, and others with only one teacher. At the same time, several schools, particularly in the plains, have more teachers than the student strength warrants. We are working to correct this imbalance.”
He further elaborated that in many areas, several schools operate within a single campus. “There are campuses with two or three primary schools, some with no students at all. We are attempting to optimise resources and ensure that every school receives the teachers it needs. There is nothing wrong with this objective,” he stated.
Addressing concerns regarding potential school closures, he clarified, “The schools being merged or reorganised are located within the same premises or in areas with no student presence. Rationalisation will ensure that students in urban areas need not travel more than 500 metres to reach school, while those in rural areas will have schools within a one-kilometre radius.”
Dispelling rumours that the rationalisation move would halt recruitment of new teachers, Chief Minister said, “We will continue recruiting teachers. The gaps in staffing will be filled in a phased manner each year. A proposal for teacher recruitment has already been submitted to the Finance Department, and once approval is granted, the recruitment process will commence.”
He underlined that the rationalisation is in the best interest of students, as it will help resolve the disparity in teacher deployment and significantly enhance the quality of education.
It is noteworthy that the School Education Department has issued orders for the rationalisation of a total of 10,463 schools across the state, including 5,849 schools from the E-category and 4,614 from the T-category. The directive has been enforced with immediate effect. This rationalisation policy aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 and the provisions of the Right to Education Act, 2009, and is intended to ensure balanced and effective utilisation of teacher resources.
Under the rationalisation exercise, 10,297 schools operating within the same campus have been merged or reorganised. Additionally, 133 schools in rural areas within a one-kilometre radius and 33 schools in urban areas within a 500-metre radius have also been rationalised. This initiative will facilitate the deployment of surplus teachers to schools currently without staff or with only a single teacher.
