1,895 Government Schools in Madhya Pradesh Have No Teacher: High Court Seeks State’s Response on PIL
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has taken serious note of an alarming Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging a deep crisis in the State’s government school education system. Hearing the petition at its Principal Bench in Jabalpur, a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal issued notices to the State Government, the School Education Department, and the Union of India, directing them to file their responses within four weeks. The PIL claims that as many as 1,895 government schools across Madhya Pradesh are functioning without a single teacher, raising concerns over the constitutional right to education guaranteed under Article 21A.
The petition, filed by Indore-based petitioner Saurabh Tripathi, relies heavily on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Report No. 10 of 2025, which audited 66,814 government schools in the State for the period between 2018 and March 2023. According to the report, 1,379 primary schools and 479 middle schools have no teachers at all, leaving thousands of children without access to basic classroom instruction. The plea argues that the situation reflects systemic administrative failures in teacher recruitment, deployment, and educational planning.
The PIL also highlights what it describes as irrational deployment of teaching staff. While nearly two thousand schools reportedly have no teachers, 435 government schools with zero student enrolment continue to have teachers posted there. Additionally, 128 teachers are serving in 85 schools where no teaching posts were officially sanctioned, suggesting significant irregularities in personnel management and resource allocation. The petitioner contends that these figures reveal a breakdown in the State’s teacher deployment policy rather than merely a shortage of educators.
Beyond schools with no teachers, the petition paints a broader picture of the education crisis. It alleges that approximately 29,116 government schools are operating with nearly 50 percent fewer teachers than required, while 6,607 schools have an excess of 11,733 teachers. Overall, nearly 1.15 lakh teaching posts—about 40 percent of the sanctioned strength of 2.89 lakh posts—remain vacant, severely affecting the quality of education for lakhs of students across the State.
The PIL further points to serious deficiencies in school infrastructure. It claims that around 5,000 schools are functioning from unsafe or dilapidated buildings, more than 3,400 schools lack toilet facilities, nearly 10,000 schools have no electricity, and approximately 40,000 schools are without boundary walls. It also alleges that thousands of schools lack access to safe drinking water and that over 59,000 schools do not have computer facilities, despite the government’s emphasis on digital education. These shortcomings, according to the petitioner, undermine efforts to improve educational standards and widen the gap between policy objectives and ground realities.
Academic outcomes have also become a focal point in the litigation. Referring to the CAG findings, the petition notes that the Class X pass percentage in government schools reportedly declined from 67.74 percent in 2018–19 to 38.53 percent in 2021–22, indicating a significant deterioration in learning outcomes. The petitioner argues that chronic teacher shortages, poor infrastructure, and ineffective governance have collectively contributed to the decline in educational performance across the State.
The PIL additionally raises concerns regarding the utilisation of public funds. It alleges that only ₹35.71 crore out of ₹165.09 crore earmarked for teacher training during the audit period was spent. It also points to instances where officials of the School Education Department were attached to other departments for extended periods while continuing to draw salaries from the education department, raising questions about financial discipline and administrative accountability.
Taking prima facie note of these allegations, the High Court has directed the State Government to place on record detailed information regarding teacher recruitment, deployment, rationalisation of staff, utilisation of budgetary allocations, and the corrective measures being undertaken to address the deficiencies highlighted in the CAG report. The Court’s intervention signals judicial concern over the functioning of the public education system and the effective implementation of the Right to Education Act, 2009.
The case is expected to have significant implications for education policy in Madhya Pradesh. If the allegations are substantiated, the proceedings could prompt large-scale reforms in teacher recruitment, staff deployment, school infrastructure, and administrative oversight. Education experts and legal observers believe the High Court’s scrutiny may become a catalyst for ensuring that government schools receive the resources necessary to provide quality education to every child, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
