Student-teacher ratio still a concern in India

Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, among the worst for student-teacher ratios, are not only the most populous states in the country but also among the poorest. 

An amount of INR 1.13 lakh crore was allocated to the education sector in the 2023-24 Union Budget, raising the projected expenditure on school and higher education by around 8.3 per cent compared with 2022-23, The Times of India reported.  

But recent answers to questions in Parliament show that there is still plenty of room to raise the standards of education in India. Indicators such as student-teacher ratios and the number of one-teacher schools point to a serious shortage of trained personnel. And despite a push to digitise education, most schools do not have access to the internet.  

States with worst student-teacher ratios  

Among those with the worst student-teacher ratios are states with the largest populations or highest population density. UP and Bihar, among the worst for student-teacher ratios, are not only the most populous states in the country but also among the poorest. Conversely, states with smaller populations are among those with the best student-teacher ratios. But despite poor student-teacher ratios, states and UTs such as Haryana, West Bengal and Delhi have literacy rates well above the national average. 

Lone teacher in 8% of India’s schools  

Almost 8 per cent of India’s schools have only one teacher. Some of the most populous states also have the most one-teacher schools. Madhya Pradesh, for instance, has a primary student-teacher ratio of 25 — better than the level mandated by the RTE Act — but it also has the most one teacher schools. Among the larger states, Kerala has the fewest one teacher schools at 310. 

Also, in 29 states and UTs, less than half the schools have internet access, which will likely make the implementation of such digital programmes difficult. 

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