A parliamentary panel flagged staffing shortages at NCERT and CBSE, inadequate education spending, falling enrolment and poor internet connectivity in government schools.
Key Points
- NCERT has 1,596 vacancies against 2,844 sanctioned posts, leaving more than half its positions unfilled.
- CBSE has 933 vacancies, with the panel warning temporary staffing could threaten national examination quality and safety.
- Education spending remains at 4.1 per cent of GDP, below the 6 per cent NEP 2020 target.
- Student enrolment drops sharply from primary to higher secondary, with regional disparities also remaining significant.
- Only 58.6 per cent of government schools have internet access, highlighting persistent digital infrastructure gaps.
More than half of the sanctioned posts at the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) are vacant, while 44 per cent of positions at the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) are unfilled, a parliamentary panel has said.
NCERT has 1,596 vacancies against 2,844 sanctioned posts, including 145 academic, 131 school-teaching, 916 ministerial and 404 ancillary positions.
CBSE, meanwhile, has 933 vacancies against 2,117 approved posts, including 595 in Group C support staff.
The panel said CBSE's reliance on temporary and contractual workers could put the safety, quality and smooth conduct of national board examinations at risk.
The panel has also called for higher public spending on education, noting that combined expenditure by the Centre and states remains at 4.1 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), against the 6 per cent target under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
It recommended a time-bound financial roadmap and a mandatory annual baseline increase of 10 per cent in education spending, along with a specialised non-lapsable education fund for infrastructure, digital expansion and inclusive education.
The report flagged a sharp decline in the number of schools and students as education levels rise. Against 911,032 primary schools, there are only 90,866 higher-secondary schools.
Enrolment falls from 61.85 million students in primary classes to 16.42 million at the higher-secondary level.
Based on these figures, the panel said nearly 73 per cent of students drop out before completing higher secondary education and called for more primary and secondary schools to be upgraded to the higher-secondary level.
It also highlighted regional disparities, with the higher-secondary gross enrolment ratio at just 38.1 per cent in Bihar, 45 per cent in Madhya Pradesh, 39.7 per cent in Meghalaya and 39.8 per cent in Nagaland.
CBSE Flags School Irregularities
CBSE told the panel that an analysis of registration and list-of-candidates data for 2024 and 2025 had identified abnormalities at some schools.
Surprise inspections found some schools sponsoring non-attending students, following which CBSE took action, including disaffiliation, downgrading, section restrictions and financial penalties.
The panel also noted that CBSE's new competency-based curriculum for Classes 9-12 is being rolled out while NCERT is still developing textbooks for these classes, creating academic stress and confusion for students.
The digital divide remains significant, with only 58.6 per cent of government schools having an Internet connection. The panel said poor speeds and unreliable connectivity remain problems, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
