How school teachers are faring in India on salary, qualifications and more: 5 broad takeaways

The SOTTTER 23 survey was conducted in eight different states — Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Punjab and Telangana — and covered 422 schools, 3,615 teachers, 422 headmasters, 68 teacher-education institutions, 1,481 student-teachers studying in B.Ed and D.El.Ed programmes, and 268 teacher educators.

Moreover, data from the UDISE+ 2021-22, Periodic Labour Force Survey 2021-22, Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), and other background research papers were also used.

Here are 5 key takeaways.

1. Sub-standard qualifications

According to the report, while 90% of teachers hold some kind of professional certification, only 46% of primary school teachers were found to possess the necessary professional certification — the Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed), specifically designed for teachers wishing to teach in primary or upper primary schools. 

For those who do hold this certification, a worryingly large proportion of teachers secured only 40-50% marks in the qualifying examination. Similarly, only 32% with D.El.Ed qualifications passed the TET, reflecting a low overall quality of these educators. A tiny portion of TET-qualified teachers — about 15% — scored higher than 60% in the primary teachers’ qualification exam. 

There also appears to be a low level of subject knowledge in mathematics among primary teachers — in TET, mean scores in the mathematics component were as low as 46%. 

At the same time, the report also showed low levels of competency in regional language among primary school teachers. This is a noteworthy development especially given that the government is pushing for regional language instruction at the school level in its National Education Policy 2020, and the specific need for regional language instructors in mathematics and science.

2. Private sector’s pros and cons

In many states, the private sector employs 40% or more of the teaching workforce. While these schools typically have better facilities (like libraries, computer labs and internet access — 76% in private schools vs only 38% in government schools) and greater support from clerical and non-teaching personnel than government schools, the pay and working conditions are appalling.

The data is significant against the backdrop of ambitious plans of the Centre to implement its ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ initiative by 2026-27. Under this project, all academic records — degrees, awards, scholarships, and other credits — will be digitally combined into a single Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID.

3. Working without contract

Poor employment terms in the private sector, alongside irregular recruitment in the government sector affect the attractiveness of the teaching profession, the report observed. 

According to the PLFS 2021-22, quoted in the report, more than 50% of teachers in private or non-government schools said that they are working without written contracts. This percentage is higher among younger female teachers in both the private and government sector, particularly in early childhood care and education (ECCE). A large proportion of women — 50% in primary and 64% in secondary schools — in the private sector work without written contracts.

Without legally binding work agreements, these teachers receive the lowest salaries in both the private and government sector — often less than half of what a teacher with a contract of three years.

For instance, an ECCE teacher earns Rs 7, 665 which is about a third lower than government teachers’ salary of Rs 11,394. At the primary level, on an average, teachers earn Rs 11,086 only, which is 65% lower than government teachers’ salary of Rs 31,225.

4. More women than men in teaching

The report findings show that the teaching workforce is skewed towards older teachers in government schools, and towards younger teachers in private schools. The data show a difference of 6 to 8 years, in terms of average age, indicating that post-qualification, most teachers enter a private school job, shifting later to government schools, as and when recruitments are announced, and possibly after repeated attempts.

“If we assume that in general almost all those acquiring professional teaching qualifications aspire to government jobs and remain in teaching, it would seem that the wait time between professional qualification and successfully securing a government job is 5 to 7 years. And during this time, they are working in the private sector,” the report said.

Moreover, the median age of women in teaching is three to four years less than men — pointing towards a trend that more young women rather than men are entering the profession. This growing trend of feminisation of the workforce can also be seen in the fact that 62% secondary school teachers, and 73% primary school teachers in the age group of 20-24 are women.

There are more male than female teachers only in the older age group of 45 years old and more. 

5. Abysmal student-teacher ratio and other teacher concerns

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, (2009) mandates a student-teacher ratio at the school level of 30:1 for Classes 1 to 5, and 35:1 for Classes 6 to 8. This is to provide each student with relevant and necessary pedagogical engagement and attention.

The report said that almost 38% of government school teachers taught different divisions and grades, simultaneously, and in the same classroom. Beyond such abysmal student-teacher ratios, government schools’ teachers also had to deal with declining student attendance, more so than in private schools.

While the average periods per week taught by government and private school teachers was almost the same (28 for private, 27 for government), the latter reported having an average of seven substitution periods per week, in comparison to an average of 5 for private school teachers.

With regards to administrative responsibilities, close to 40% government teachers as opposed to about 18-20% private school teachers felt they have a high workload diverting attention from education roles. The everyday workload in government school teachers includes maintaining data, helping with mid-day meals, among other responsibilities. Government schools also reported a high proportion (41%) of unsupportive parents.