A major shortage of subject teachers has emerged in government schools across Uttarakhand, with 3,670 lecturer posts currently lying vacant in key subjects such as mathematics, science and English. The situation has raised concerns ahead of the new academic session starting on April 1, 2026.
According to officials, the exact status of vacant lecturer posts in 1,385 Government Inter Colleges across the state is still not clear, and the chances of filling these posts before the new academic session appear unlikely. As a result, several schools may continue to face a shortage of subject experts.
The promotion of teachers from the LT cadre to lecturer posts is currently stalled due to a case pending in the Uttarakhand High Court in Nainital. Because of this legal matter, the promotion process has not moved forward. At the same time, there is also no clear indication of fresh recruitment for lecturer posts this year.
Education department sources say that mathematics, science and English have already been facing a shortage of teachers. The situation is even more serious in remote hill districts where schools often struggle to get subject specialists.
Compared to other districts, fewer posts are vacant in plains districts like Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital, as many teachers prefer to serve in more accessible areas. However, remote mountain districts such as Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Champawat and Chamoli are witnessing a higher number of vacant teaching posts.
Adding to the concern, around 814 LT and lecturer-level teachers currently working in Uttarakhand Board-affiliated government schools will be relieved from their existing schools in April. These teachers will be transferred to 186 Atal Utkrisht Schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which may further increase the shortage of teachers in remote institutions.
There is also uncertainty regarding the policy for guest teachers. In the past, guest teachers were often appointed to fill temporary vacancies. Recently, after the appointment of 1,346 LT teachers, the services of 205 guest teachers were terminated. Earlier assurances had suggested that guest teachers would be adjusted in other schools after permanent appointments, leading to dissatisfaction among them.
State Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat said the government is serious about addressing the teacher shortage. He assured that along with pushing the promotion process forward, the government will soon initiate a fresh recruitment process to ensure adequate availability of subject teachers in schools.
