Archive · 31 May 2025
India's Student-Teacher Ratio May Hinder Education Quality
India wants to make colleges better by having fewer students for each teacher, aiming for 15 students per teacher.
However, there aren't enough well-trained teachers with Ph.D.s available.
If colleges try to meet this rule, they might have to hire teachers who aren't as good, which could lower the quality of education.
Instead, it's better to focus on training teachers, giving them more money for research, and not being strict about the number of students per teacher.
Some top universities use a higher ratio, like 25 to 30 students per teacher.
India's focus on a 15:1 student-teacher ratio may be counterproductive for higher education quality.
The country doesn't produce enough high-quality Ph.D. graduates to meet the demand.
Implementing the ratio could lead to the hiring of less qualified faculty members.
Focus should be on faculty training, research funding, and flexible ratios instead.
Top universities globally don't adhere to the 15:1 ratio; some use ratios between 25:1 and 30:1.
- Who
- Director of Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology and Dean of LM Thapar School of Management and Thapar School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- What
- The potential negative impacts of prioritizing a 15:1 student-teacher ratio in higher education.
- When
- May 31, 2025
- Where
- India
- Why
- To improve the quality of education in India, but may be counterproductive due to lack of qualified teachers.
Alternative Approach to Quality
Proponents of 15:1 Ratio
Faculty Recruitment Strategy
Alternative Approach to Quality
Focus on hiring high-quality faculty, investing in their development, and allowing for flexible student-teacher ratios.
Proponents of 15:1 Ratio
Prioritize faculty quantity to reduce student-teacher ratios to improve education quality.
- Target Student-Teacher Ratio
- 15:1
- Approximate Annual PhDs Awarded in India
- Less than 40,000
- Student-Teacher Ratio in US and Europe (typical)
- 25:1 to 30:1