Congress Urges Filling 10 Lakh School Teacher Vacancies in India

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) — On Wednesday, the Congress brought attention to key recommendations made by the parliamentary standing committee on education, particularly the urgent need to address 10 lakh vacancies in school teaching positions across India. Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in charge of communications, emphasized that the committee, chaired by Digvijaya Singh, has released a substantial report focused on teacher education.

Ramesh noted several critical observations within the report. Foremost among them is the recommendation to fill teaching vacancies in various educational institutions, including state government schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, and Navodaya Vidyalayas.

The report also urges the cessation of hiring contractual teachers, as this practice bypasses the Constitutional reservation provisions meant for SC, ST, and OBC communities in government employment.

Additionally, the panel advocates for a thorough revision of the draft National Council on Teacher Education (NCTE) Regulations, 2025. The goal is to move away from the current 'hyperspecialisation and segmentation' in teacher education inherent in the Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP).

Moreover, the committee supports the continuation of the Bachelor in Elementary Education (B. El. Ed) program, which has been recognized for producing high-quality educators for over three decades.

The report further highlights the need for resuming the hiring of permanent staff at the NCTE, where recruitment has been on hold since 2019.

Furthermore, the expansion and empowerment of District Institution of Education and Training (DIETs) are recommended, even with the widespread implementation of the ITEP.

This compelling report was presented in Parliament last week.

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