Archive · 27 Oct 2025
West Bengal Faces Enrollment Issues Amidst Teacher-Heavy Schools
Imagine many schools in West Bengal with no kids, but still lots of teachers!
Almost half of the empty schools in the country are in Bengal.
This is strange because some schools have too many kids for each teacher.
Experts say this might be because government schools aren't as good as they used to be, with teachers focused on things other than teaching.
Many parents send their kids to private schools instead.
The government needs to improve schools so kids want to go there.
West Bengal has nearly 18,000 teachers in approximately 3,800 schools with zero enrollment.
Bengal accounts for almost half of the zero-enrollment schools in the country.
The 17,965 teachers in zero-enrollment schools in Bengal constitute the majority of the national total.
Bengal's pupil-teacher ratio is higher than the national average, suggesting overall teacher shortages.
Experts attribute the issue to a lack of interest in education at government schools, and parents' preference for private institutions.
- Who
- Schools in West Bengal and across India
- What
- Significant number of schools in West Bengal have zero student enrollment, while also employing a large number of teachers.
- When
- 2024-25 academic year
- Where
- West Bengal, India
- Why
- Reasons not explicitly stated but includes parental disillusionment, lack of school inspections, and teachers focused on non-academic tasks.
Experts
Government and Teachers
School Quality
Experts
Government schools are failing due to a lack of focus on teaching and learning and non-academic demands on teachers.
Government and Teachers
Implied, the article does not represent the government's stance, but it infers that the government might not recognize the severity of the problem.
Parental Choice
Experts
Parents are disillusioned with government schools and send children to private schools.
Government and Teachers
Implied, the article does not represent the government's stance. The government might not be aware of the degree of parental disillusionment.
- Schools with Zero Enrollment in Bengal
- 3,812
- Teachers in Bengal Zero-Enrollment Schools
- 17,965
- Bengal's Share of National Zero-Enrollment Schools
- 47.7%
- National Pupil-Teacher Ratio
- 24
- Bengal Pupil-Teacher Ratio
- 29
- Single-Teacher Schools in India
- 104,125
- Children Enrolled in Single-Teacher Schools
- 3,376,769
Sources
Nearly 8,000 Indian schools have no students but 20,000 teachers on payroll
About 8,000 Schools with Zero Enrolment Employ 20,000 Teachers in India: Ministry Data
About 8,000 Indian Schools Have Zero Students But Employ Over 20,000 Teachers: Govt Data
8K schools with no enrolments keep 20K teachers on payroll!
