New Delhi, January 2026 — India’s public education system is facing a serious staffing challenge. According to the latest official data, over 1 lakh government schools across the country are being run by just one teacher, forcing a single educator to manage multiple classes, subjects, and administrative responsibilities. This alarming reality has reignited a national debate on learning quality, teacher recruitment, and whether governments genuinely lack the budget to appoint more teachers.
A Nation’s Schools With Only One Teacher
Data compiled under the UDISE+ 2024–25 framework by the Ministry of Education shows that more than 1.04 lakh government schools operate with only one teacher. These schools collectively cater to over 33 lakh students across India.
In many cases, a single teacher is responsible for handling multiple grades simultaneously, often teaching students from Class 1 to Class 5 or even higher. This situation directly conflicts with the intent of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which prescribes a pupil–teacher ratio of 30:1 at the primary level and 35:1 at the upper-primary level.
State-Wise Reality: Rural India Bears the Brunt
The issue of single-teacher schools is not evenly distributed across the country. States such as Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Karnataka account for a large share of these schools.
Rural, tribal, and remote regions are the worst affected. Poor connectivity, lack of housing facilities, and limited basic infrastructure make it difficult to attract and retain teachers. As a result, many schools continue to function with minimal staff for years, impacting the quality of education delivered to children.
What Does This Mean for Students?
In a single-teacher school, one educator often handles five or more classes, multiple subjects, midday meal supervision, attendance records, government surveys, and administrative reporting. Education experts warn that this excessive workload reduces effective classroom teaching time.
Such conditions make it difficult to provide individual attention to students, slowing progress in foundational literacy and numeracy. Over time, this contributes to learning gaps, higher dropout rates, and reduced academic confidence among students.
“No Budget to Hire Teachers”? The Real Picture
A common belief is that governments do not have enough funds to recruit teachers. However, experts point out that the issue is not only about lack of budget, but about how funds are released and utilised.
Under schemes such as Samagra Shiksha, both the Centre and state governments allocate funds every year for teacher salaries and recruitment. Despite this, a large number of sanctioned teaching posts remain vacant, and in several cases, significant portions of allocated funds remain unspent.
Education analysts cite multiple reasons behind this gap:
- Slow and complex recruitment procedures
- Administrative delays in approvals and fund releases
- Court cases and legal disputes affecting appointments
- Over-reliance on contractual or temporary teachers
This indicates that while financial constraints do exist, bureaucratic inefficiency and delayed decision-making play a major role in keeping classrooms understaffed.
Government Response So Far
The government maintains that it is addressing the issue through school rationalisation, which involves merging low-enrolment schools and redeploying surplus teachers from schools with very few students.
Officials argue that this approach improves efficiency without increasing expenditure. However, critics warn that rationalisation cannot replace fresh and sustained teacher recruitment, especially when nearly 10 lakh teaching posts are estimated to be vacant nationwide.
Why the Issue Matters Beyond Numbers
The presence of single-teacher schools is not just a statistical concern but a human one. A single teacher cannot effectively provide subject depth, remedial support, or continuous assessment to a large group of students across different age groups.
Education experts stress that achieving the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, particularly in foundational education, will remain difficult unless teacher shortages are urgently addressed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is a single-teacher school?
A single-teacher school is one where only one teacher is responsible for teaching all grades and subjects, along with handling administrative duties.
2. How many single-teacher schools exist in India?
More than 1.04 lakh government schools across India are currently operating with just one teacher.
3. How many students are affected?
Over 33 lakh students are enrolled in single-teacher schools nationwide.
4. Does this violate the Right to Education Act?
While not illegal, it does not meet the recommended pupil–teacher ratios prescribed under the RTE Act.
5. Which states have the highest number of such schools?
Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Karnataka report the highest numbers.
6. Are single-teacher schools mostly in rural areas?
Yes, most are located in rural, tribal, and remote regions with limited infrastructure.
7. Why doesn’t the government hire more teachers?
Recruitment is often delayed due to administrative hurdles, legal challenges, and slow selection processes.
8. Is there really no budget for teacher recruitment?
Funds are allocated, but utilisation and execution often remain weak due to procedural delays.
9. What solution is the government currently using?
The focus is on school mergers, teacher redeployment, and limited contractual hiring.
10. What do education experts suggest?
Experts recommend faster recruitment, regular hiring cycles, rural incentives, and strict enforcement of pupil–teacher norms.
Conclusion
The fact that over 1 lakh schools in India continue to function with only one teacher highlights a deep-rooted structural problem in the education system. While governments often cite budgetary pressure, evidence suggests that the real challenge lies in execution, planning, and administrative efficiency.
Without urgent and large-scale recruitment, better use of allocated funds, and long-term policy commitment, millions of children will continue to learn in overstretched classrooms. Addressing this crisis is essential if India is serious about ensuring quality education for every child.
Report by Toofan Express