A recent survey by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has revealed concerning facts about conditional education in Maharashtra. The report indicates that over half of the primary school teachers in the country do not possess the necessary qualifications.
Only 45.72% of primary school teachers have a Bachelor in Elementary Education (BElEd), Diploma in Education (DEd), or Diploma in Elementary Education (DElEd). The situation is slightly better in upper elementary and secondary grades, with 57% and 79% of teachers holding a Bachelor of Education (BEd), respectively.
The private sector in Maharashtra has emerged as the largest employer of underqualified teachers, with 87% of such teachers working in private schools.
Private schools seem to prefer hiring teachers with a BEd degree (42%) over those with specialised training in basic education (22%). In contrast, government and government-aided schools have a higher percentage of teachers with the necessary DEd or DElEd credentials (60% and 68%, respectively).
The study also highlights that about 30% of teachers are teaching subjects in which they lack proficiency. The largest gap is seen in mathematics, where 35% to 41% of teachers did not study the subject at the undergraduate level. It also showed a lack of teachers for music, art, and physical education.
The report also sheds light on the representation of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) teachers. While 61% of teachers in government schools belong to these communities, their representation in private schools is significantly lower at 27%.
The report is titled "Right Teacher for Every Child: State of Teachers, Teaching, and Teacher Education 2023". It is based on already available data and a new survey that was completed by 422 head teachers, 3615 instructors, and 422 schools across eight states. This is the second edition of the report. It was started in 2022 by TISS and is planned to be released every two years.
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