Government schools across Kalyana Karnataka are facing a severe shortage of teachers, with official data showing 22,595 vacant teaching posts in primary and high schools across the region. Educationists and officials have warned that the shortage is affecting classroom learning, enrolment, and the overall quality of education in one of Karnataka’s most educationally disadvantaged regions.
According to official figures, 18,317 vacancies exist in primary schools, while another 4,278 posts remain vacant in high schools. The shortage has forced many institutions to depend heavily on guest teachers and temporary arrangements.
Raichur has emerged as the worst-affected district in the region, with 5,624 teacher vacancies in government schools. Data shows that out of 8,460 sanctioned teaching posts in primary schools, only about 3,900 teachers are currently serving, leaving 4,560 positions vacant. In high schools, only 1,175 teachers are working against 2,239 sanctioned posts.
The crisis has reportedly resulted in several single-teacher schools and even “zero-teacher schools” functioning without a permanent government-appointed teacher. In Devdurg taluk alone, more than 100 schools are reportedly operating without regular teaching staff.
Other districts across Kalyana Karnataka are facing similar shortages. Kalaburagi has over 3,100 vacant primary school posts and nearly 600 vacancies in high schools. Yadgir and Koppal have also reported thousands of unfilled teaching positions, while Ballari continues to face shortages in both primary and secondary education.
Educationists say the issue extends beyond staffing alone. Many government schools in the region continue to struggle with inadequate infrastructure, including shortages of classrooms, toilets, drinking water facilities, electricity, libraries, and playgrounds. Combined with teacher shortages, these gaps have contributed to declining enrolment in several government schools.
DM Badiger, an educationist from Koppal, pointed out that many schools with dozens of enrolled students continue to function with only one or two teachers despite norms requiring larger staff strength.
Officials have acknowledged the seriousness of the issue. Mallikarjun, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) for Raichur, said the issue of recruitment had been discussed in district-level meetings and expressed hope that appointments could be made through the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB).
The teacher shortage has once again drawn attention to educational inequalities within Karnataka, particularly in the Kalyana Karnataka region, which has historically lagged behind other parts of the state in literacy, infrastructure, and public investment. Education advocates argue that without large-scale recruitment and sustained infrastructure support, learning outcomes in the region may continue to deteriorate despite improvements in enrolment schemes and welfare programmes.
