The Himachal Pradesh Education Department has initiated a rationalization process to address staffing imbalances in schools. Starting from the new academic session, teachers will be appointed based on the number of students enrolled in each school, ensuring compliance with the prescribed student-teacher ratio.
The Directorate of Higher and Primary Education has instructed District Deputy Directors to submit data on surplus teachers and student enrollment by February 15. Schools near cities and subdivisions with an excess of teachers are expected to lose staff, who will be transferred to remote areas facing shortages.
A performa has been issued to all schools, directing details about institutions with fewer than 20 students and three or more teachers, as well as those with higher student numbers but insufficient teaching staff. This data will be used to redistribute teachers before the new academic session begins.
Under the rationalization policy, schools with fewer than 20 students and more than three teachers will have excess staff relocated. Priority for transfer will be given to teachers with longer tenures at their current postings. The process aims to bring the system in line with the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which mandates at least two teachers for every 60 students.
The initiative seeks to resolve long-standing issues of teacher shortages in remote areas and ensure a more equitable distribution of resources across the state. While the move is expected to improve the quality of education in underserved regions, it will also address inefficiencies in schools with disproportionate staffing.
