NEW DELHI: More than one lakh schools across India are functioning with a single teacher, with Andhra Pradesh alone accounting for over 16,000, government data has revealed, highlighting severe deployment gaps despite the country’s overall pupil-teacher ratio remaining within national norms.According to UDISE+ data for 2025-26, India has 1,00,843 single-teacher schools across all management categories. Andhra Pradesh tops the list with 16,357 such schools — more than 16% of the national total — followed by Jharkhand with 9,827 and Maharashtra with 9,269.Karnataka has 8,042 single-teacher schools, Uttar Pradesh 7,874, Rajasthan 7,200 and West Bengal 6,769. Together, the seven states account for nearly 65% of all schools in the country operating with only one teacher.The problem is spread across regions rather than being confined to poorer or geographically difficult states. Telangana has 4,793 such schools, Tamil Nadu 3,957 and Assam 3,159. Himachal Pradesh has 3,128, Uttarakhand 2,655 and Chhattisgarh 2,461.At the other end, Kerala reported 67 single-teacher schools, Nagaland 35, Sikkim 31, Ladakh 28, Delhi seven and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands one.The figures were provided by minister of state for education Jayant Chaudhary in response to a Rajya Sabha question on teacher vacancies. While the question sought data specifically for government schools, the annexure on single-teacher institutions covers schools under all managements.The ministry did not provide state-wise sanctioned posts or vacancies, saying recruitment, service conditions and deployment of teachers were handled by state governments and Union Territory administrations. It attributed vacancies to retirement, resignation, creation of posts, staff rationalisation and changing enrolment, including in rural, tribal and aspirational districts.The Centre said states were regularly advised to fill posts through transparent, merit-based recruitment and use technology for forecasting teacher requirements. Financial support was also provided under Samagra Shiksha to maintain prescribed pupil-teacher ratios.The ministry cited national pupil-teacher ratios of 19 at the primary level, 17 at upper primary, 15 at secondary and 23 at higher secondary — all within the limits envisaged under the National Education Policy. However, the single-teacher-school data indicates that favourable national averages continue to conceal sharp local imbalances in teacher availability.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosPoJK Burns Amid Violence And Protests: Why The World’s Silence And The Crisis Matter To IndiaFirst Direct Freight Train to Nepal! How One Railway Journey Could Transform India-Nepal TradeDelhi Police Denies ‘Mystery Truck’ Conspiracy Linked To Chalo Sansad ProtestTwo Army Personnel Injured In Suspected Landmine Explosion Near LoC In Uri’Most Filthy Type Of Man’: Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Attack Pralhad Joshi; Massive Ruckus In ParlWhy Delhi-NCR Flooded Again As Four Weather Systems Combined With Years Of Planning Failures’Students Want Justice, Not Charity’: Priyanka Gandhi’s Explosive Speech On Paper Leaks Rocks LSMizoram Minister Opens Up On Drug Menace, Myanmar Border, Disaster Readiness & Ties With Centre”You Removed One Pradhan To Save The PM”: Paper Leak Bill Triggers Massive Showdown In ParliamentPolice Diary Reportedly Reveals RAF Fired Anti-Riot Guns During Jantar Mantar Protest | Watch123PhotostoriesFrom alleging ex-wife Shweta Tiwari’s affair with her Kasautii co-star Cezanne Khan to claiming he Wasn’t allowed to meet their daughter; Raja Chaudhary makes serious allegationsHollywood celebs who spoke about their ADHD, dyslexia and other mental health issues5 Plants you think are attractive, but are actually invasive in natureHansika Motwani’s ultra-luxurious Mumbai home: Glam dressing room, grand living area and more”Your child is always watching you”: 7 everyday parenting habits that unknowingly shape every Indian child’s futureWant more blooms? 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NEW DELHI: More than one lakh schools across India are functioning with a single teacher, with Andhra Pradesh alone accounting for over 16,000, government data has revealed, highlighting severe deployment gaps despite the country’s overall pupil-teacher ratio remaining within national norms.According to UDISE+ data for 2025-26, India has 1,00,843 single-teacher schools across all management categories. Andhra Pradesh tops the list with 16,357 such schools — more than 16% of the national total — followed by Jharkhand with 9,827 and Maharashtra with 9,269.Karnataka has 8,042 single-teacher schools, Uttar Pradesh 7,874, Rajasthan 7,200 and West Bengal 6,769. Together, the seven states account for nearly 65% of all schools in the country operating with only one teacher.The problem is spread across regions rather than being confined to poorer or geographically difficult states. Telangana has 4,793 such schools, Tamil Nadu 3,957 and Assam 3,159. Himachal Pradesh has 3,128, Uttarakhand 2,655 and Chhattisgarh 2,461.At the other end, Kerala reported 67 single-teacher schools, Nagaland 35, Sikkim 31, Ladakh 28, Delhi seven and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands one.The figures were provided by minister of state for education Jayant Chaudhary in response to a Rajya Sabha question on teacher vacancies. While the question sought data specifically for government schools, the annexure on single-teacher institutions covers schools under all managements.The ministry did not provide state-wise sanctioned posts or vacancies, saying recruitment, service conditions and deployment of teachers were handled by state governments and Union Territory administrations. It attributed vacancies to retirement, resignation, creation of posts, staff rationalisation and changing enrolment, including in rural, tribal and aspirational districts.The Centre said states were regularly advised to fill posts through transparent, merit-based recruitment and use technology for forecasting teacher requirements. Financial support was also provided under Samagra Shiksha to maintain prescribed pupil-teacher ratios.The ministry cited national pupil-teacher ratios of 19 at the primary level, 17 at upper primary, 15 at secondary and 23 at higher secondary — all within the limits envisaged under the National Education Policy. However, the single-teacher-school data indicates that favourable national averages continue to conceal sharp local imbalances in teacher availability.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosPoJK Burns Amid Violence And Protests: Why The World’s Silence And The Crisis Matter To IndiaFirst Direct Freight Train to Nepal! How One Railway Journey Could Transform India-Nepal TradeDelhi Police Denies ‘Mystery Truck’ Conspiracy Linked To Chalo Sansad ProtestTwo Army Personnel Injured In Suspected Landmine Explosion Near LoC In Uri’Most Filthy Type Of Man’: Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Attack Pralhad Joshi; Massive Ruckus In ParlWhy Delhi-NCR Flooded Again As Four Weather Systems Combined With Years Of Planning Failures’Students Want Justice, Not Charity’: Priyanka Gandhi’s Explosive Speech On Paper Leaks Rocks LSMizoram Minister Opens Up On Drug Menace, Myanmar Border, Disaster Readiness & Ties With Centre”You Removed One Pradhan To Save The PM”: Paper Leak Bill Triggers Massive Showdown In ParliamentPolice Diary Reportedly Reveals RAF Fired Anti-Riot Guns During Jantar Mantar Protest | Watch123PhotostoriesFrom alleging ex-wife Shweta Tiwari’s affair with her Kasautii co-star Cezanne Khan to claiming he Wasn’t allowed to meet their daughter; Raja Chaudhary makes serious allegationsHollywood celebs who spoke about their ADHD, dyslexia and other mental health issues5 Plants you think are attractive, but are actually invasive in natureHansika Motwani’s ultra-luxurious Mumbai home: Glam dressing room, grand living area and more”Your child is always watching you”: 7 everyday parenting habits that unknowingly shape every Indian child’s futureWant more blooms? Prune these 5 garden plants in AugustWhy Indians have added ghee to hot rice for generations, according to scienceThe truth about Kumkumadi tailam: Know why it doesn’t deliver the same results for everyoneLeftover rotis? Try these 9 desi lunch dishes that pack 14–22g proteinHow to grow and care for lucky bamboo: An easy step-by-step guide for beginners123Hot PicksMCC new rulesRey mysterios daughterDelhi Lakshmi YojanaTN CM Vijay’s new officeRussian sanctions billCWG 2026 GamesSmartphone exportsTN supplementary resultsNew anti-paper leak billTop TrendingKangana RanautJantar Mantar ProtestKarnataka SuicideBJP MLA Yashpal Suvarna ArrestGurgaon Road RageAbhijeet Dipke Marriage ProposalsUGC PG ProgrammeWeather TomorrowPalani Mutt Temple Land CaseStock Market Up


Over 1 lakh schools run with just one teacher; Andhra tops list with 16,357

NEW DELHI: More than one lakh schools across India are functioning with a single teacher, with Andhra Pradesh alone accounting for over 16,000, government data has revealed, highlighting severe deployment gaps despite the country’s overall pupil-teacher ratio remaining within national norms.According to UDISE+ data for 2025-26, India has 1,00,843 single-teacher schools across all management categories. Andhra Pradesh tops the list with 16,357 such schools — more than 16% of the national total — followed by Jharkhand with 9,827 and Maharashtra with 9,269.Karnataka has 8,042 single-teacher schools, Uttar Pradesh 7,874, Rajasthan 7,200 and West Bengal 6,769. Together, the seven states account for nearly 65% of all schools in the country operating with only one teacher.The problem is spread across regions rather than being confined to poorer or geographically difficult states. Telangana has 4,793 such schools, Tamil Nadu 3,957 and Assam 3,159. Himachal Pradesh has 3,128, Uttarakhand 2,655 and Chhattisgarh 2,461.At the other end, Kerala reported 67 single-teacher schools, Nagaland 35, Sikkim 31, Ladakh 28, Delhi seven and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands one.The figures were provided by minister of state for education Jayant Chaudhary in response to a Rajya Sabha question on teacher vacancies. While the question sought data specifically for government schools, the annexure on single-teacher institutions covers schools under all managements.The ministry did not provide state-wise sanctioned posts or vacancies, saying recruitment, service conditions and deployment of teachers were handled by state governments and Union Territory administrations. It attributed vacancies to retirement, resignation, creation of posts, staff rationalisation and changing enrolment, including in rural, tribal and aspirational districts.The Centre said states were regularly advised to fill posts through transparent, merit-based recruitment and use technology for forecasting teacher requirements. Financial support was also provided under Samagra Shiksha to maintain prescribed pupil-teacher ratios.The ministry cited national pupil-teacher ratios of 19 at the primary level, 17 at upper primary, 15 at secondary and 23 at higher secondary — all within the limits envisaged under the National Education Policy. However, the single-teacher-school data indicates that favourable national averages continue to conceal sharp local imbalances in teacher availability.



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