New Delhi: The Center of Excellence in Teacher Education (CETE) at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) conducted a research study titled 'The Right Teacher for Every Child,' revealing that 41 percent of mathematics teachers across the country lack a completed graduation and have not studied mathematics at the undergraduate level. The Tata Institute reported that this deficiency is observed in both government and private schools across eight states, where 35 to 41 percent of mathematics teachers do not possess a background in mathematics during their graduation.

The research emphasizes the pressing need for recruiting teachers specializing in various subjects. Mathematics tops the list at 35 percent, followed by English at 31 percent, and regional languages at 30 percent, according to the survey findings.

The report, based on surveys conducted in Maharashtra, Bihar, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab, Mizoram, and Telangana, includes data from 422 schools, 3615 teachers, 422 head teachers, 68 teacher education institutes, and 1481 student teachers pursuing B.Ed. Padma M. Sarangapani, Chairperson of CETE at TISS and lead author of the report, highlighted that the findings are supported by data from primary and secondary schools, including UDISE+ 2021-22 and the Periodic Labor Force Survey 2021-22.

The research also disclosed that only 46 percent of teachers instructing primary classes in all states possessed appropriate professional qualifications. Particularly in the North Eastern and Himalayan States, there is an urgent need to ensure basic facilities for teachers and students in schools. The report attributes the challenges in these regions to the perception of unfavorable job conditions in private schools and delays in teacher recruitment in government schools. Consequently, around 40 percent of teachers in the private sector lack documented credentials, with half of them teaching without any written documents.

Additionally, the study revealed a severe shortage of teachers in subjects such as physical education, music, and art according to the System of Teacher Training and Recruitment (SOTTTER). Overall, the provision of physical education teachers is low at 36 percent in government schools and 65 percent in private schools. The availability of art and music teachers is even more limited.

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