SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a steady decline in the number of teachers in government schools over the past three academic years, with the teaching workforce shrinking by 4,811 between 2023-24 and 2025-26, according to data tabled in the Rajya Sabha.
The figures, released by the Union Ministry of Education in response to an unstarred question on teacher vacancies in primary and secondary schools, show that the number of teachers in government schools in Jammu and Kashmir declined from 96,380 in 2023-24 to 94,202 in 2024-25, before falling further to 91,569 in 2025-26. This represents an overall decline of nearly 5 per cent over three years.
The data was shared by Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary, who said that while the Centre provides financial assistance under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, the recruitment, deployment and service conditions of teachers are the responsibility of the respective State Governments and Union Territory administrations.
The Ministry clarified that it does not maintain data on sanctioned and vacant teaching posts, as these are maintained by the concerned States and Union Territories. It added that education is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, making teacher recruitment an administrative responsibility of the respective governments.
According to the reply, vacancies arise regularly due to retirements, resignations, creation of new posts following increased student enrolment and the opening of new schools. The timeline for filling these vacancies is determined by the respective State or UT administration in accordance with its recruitment rules and procedures.
The Centre said it has been extending financial support to eligible States and Union Territories under the Samagra Shiksha scheme to help maintain the prescribed Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) in schools in accordance with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. However, it reiterated that sanctioning, creating and filling teaching posts remains the responsibility of the States and UTs.
The Ministry further informed Parliament that it periodically advises States and Union Territories to fill teacher vacancies through transparent and merit-based recruitment processes, including through autonomous teacher recruitment boards or similar agencies. It said the Department of School Education and Literacy regularly reviews the progress of recruitment with States and UTs and encourages technology-based planning to assess teacher requirements.
At the national level, the Ministry said the Pupil-Teacher Ratio remains within the norms prescribed under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. As per the UDISE+ 2025-26 report, the national PTR stands at 19:1 at the primary level, 17:1 at the upper primary level, 15:1 at the secondary level and 23:1 at the higher secondary level.
The parliamentary reply came in response to a question seeking details on teacher vacancies in schools funded under the Samagra Shiksha scheme and whether the Centre had advised States to fill the vacant posts. While the Ministry reiterated that recruitment is the responsibility of the States and UTs, the latest UDISE+ figures point to a sustained decline in the number of teachers serving in Jammu and Kashmir’s government schools.
