Madhya Pradesh"s Colleges Struggle with Teacher Shortage
- Madhya Pradesh has only 12,000 teachers for its colleges, including guest teachers, which is insufficient for the growing student population.
- Recruitment of full-time teachers has been irregular, with only two major recruitments in the last 32 years, the last being in 2017.
- The shortage of teachers and clerical staff is affecting the quality of education, prompting calls for increased teaching posts from educational leaders.
Madhya Pradesh's higher education sector is grappling with a significant shortage of teachers, with only 12,000 educators available for a growing student population. This number includes both regular and guest teachers, highlighting the precarious staffing situation. The state mandates a teacher-to-student ratio of one teacher for every 30 students, which is not being met due to insufficient recruitment. Over the past 32 years, full-time teacher recruitment has occurred only twice, with the last major hiring in 2017, when 3,500 teachers were appointed. Since then, no regular teacher recruitment has taken place, despite the increasing number of students enrolling in colleges each year. Currently, there are 571 colleges in Madhya Pradesh facing a manpower shortage, which has adversely affected the quality of education. The existing 12,000 sanctioned teaching posts are filled, with 7,500 being regular teachers and the remainder being guest faculty. The lack of regular recruitment has created a vacuum in the educational system, as the number of students continues to rise, leading to overcrowded classrooms and diminished educational outcomes. In addition to the shortage of teaching staff, there is also a lack of clerical personnel, further complicating the operational challenges faced by colleges. Educational leaders, such as MLB College principal Rajesh Agrawal, have called for the government to increase the number of teaching posts to address the growing demand for quality education. The ongoing teacher shortage poses a serious threat to the future of higher education in Madhya Pradesh, as it compromises the learning experience for students and undermines the overall educational standards in the state.