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The shortage doesn’t stop there, because around 34% of the deputy director positions are also vacant. There are over 65,000 approved teaching positions yet to be filled. In an attempt to fill or fill the gap, over 20,000 guest lecturers have been appointed.
The source added: “Currently, of 33,761 approved posts for Taught University Teachers (TGT), well over a third (39.7%) – 13,421 – remain vacant, while 20,340 have been filled. TGTs teach through Grade X. In the case of Postgraduate Teachers (PGT), of 17,714 sanctioned positions, 13,886 have been filled, while 3,828 (21%) remain vacant.”
Schools trying to fill the gap by hiring visiting teachers
As mentioned above, guest lecturers were hired to narrow the gap.
Two thirds of the positions were filled by guest lecturers, but one third remains vacant.
“It’s not that the 33% vacancies with 21,910 teachers aren’t going to be filled. The Delhi government has developed a model of employing contract visiting teachers in exchange for regular vacancies,” a DOE source told TOI
“Against 21,910 vacancies, 20,408 guest lecturers are working. The guest lecturers cannot share the financial and other related responsibilities or fees. Since this is not a permanent position, the commitment varies. Young guest teachers keep trying to find various permanent positions and have to take leave at regular intervals. It’s difficult to find guest teachers for subjects like math, science, English and Urdu,” the source said.
The source further clarified that 75% of teacher positions are promotions and 25% must be filled through direct recruitment. With school admissions increasing over the past two years, the demands on teachers have also increased rapidly.
