4,133 schools in Bengal have no students but 19,502 teachers: Central report
West Bengal's Central government data reveals 4,133 schools with no students, yet employing 19,502 teachers. Conversely, 6,769 schools have 2,29,569 students but only one teacher each. This discrepancy, uncovered in the UDISE+ 2025-26 report, stems from errors made by private schools while uploading data onto the central portal.
The School Education Minister Dipak Barman attributes this issue to incomplete data uploads by certain schools. The Central government's efforts to rectify these problems include rationalizing teacher numbers and transferring staff from overpopulated schools to those with insufficient staffing. The Supreme Court recently canceled over 25,000 appointments made during Mamata Banerjee's tenure due to corruption allegations.
A CAG report also highlighted high dropout rates, teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and inadequate utilization of funds, further undermining the implementation of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in the state.
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