Teacher shortage, digital divide: NITI Aayog outlines major bottlenecks in India’s education system

The report identifies systemic gaps ranging from fragmented school structures and teacher shortages to weak foundational learning.

India’s school education system continues to face major challenges in infrastructure, teacher shortages, learning outcomes, mental health support and equity despite improvements in enrolment and access, according to NITI Aayog’s latest report on school education.

The report, ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement,’ identifies systemic gaps ranging from fragmented school structures and teacher shortages to weak foundational learning, poor mental health support, and inadequate vocational education.

Based on consultations with Central and State governments, teachers, NGOs, parents, and grassroots education workers, along with analysis of datasets including Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH), National Achievement Survey (NAS), and Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), the report categorises the issues into two broad areas: systemic challenges and academic challenges.

Fragmented schooling system leading to dropouts

One of the key concerns highlighted is the fragmented structure of Indian schooling.

The report notes that while India has over 7.3 lakh primary schools, the number drops sharply at higher levels, with only 1.42 lakh secondary schools and 1.64 lakh higher secondary schools. 

This “pyramidal structure” forces students to shift schools at multiple stages, often contributing to dropouts after Classes 5, 8, and 10.

It further points out that only around 5 per cent of schools in India provide continuous schooling from Classes 1 to 12.

The report also flags the existence of a large number of small and under-enrolled schools. According to UDISE+ 2024-25 data cited in the report, more than one-third of schools have fewer than 50 students, while over 1 lakh schools function with just a single teacher.

“These challenges are not isolated but are embedded in the design and distribution of schools across the country and lead to persistent gaps in access, retention, and learning,” the report states.

Infrastructure gaps continue

Despite progress over the past decade, infrastructure gaps remain widespread.

The report says 1.19 lakh schools still lack functional electricity, over 14,500 schools do not have drinking water facilities, and nearly 59,829 schools lack hand-washing facilities.

Gender-sensitive infrastructure also remains inadequate. According to the report, nearly 98,592 schools lack functional girls’ toilets, while 61,540 schools have no usable toilets at all.

The report adds that the absence of proper menstrual hygiene facilities continues to affect attendance and retention among adolescent girls.

In STEM education, only 51.7 per cent of government secondary schools have science laboratories, limiting opportunities for practical and inquiry-based learning.

Digital divide still visible

While digital infrastructure has improved significantly, the report says access remains uneven across states.

According to UDISE+ 2024-25 data cited in the report, 64.7 per cent of schools have computers and 63.5 per cent have internet connectivity. However, the report notes that states such as Bihar, West Bengal, Manipur, Mizoram, and Meghalaya continue to face major ICT infrastructure gaps.

Equity and inclusion concerns persist

The report highlights that students from socio-economically disadvantaged groups (SEDGs), girls, children with disabilities, and migrant children continue to face layered barriers in accessing and continuing education.

Citing PARAKH 2024 findings, the report notes that students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) consistently perform below students from the general category in mathematics and language competencies.

The report also says dropout rates among girls rise in upper primary and secondary levels due to household responsibilities, safety concerns, and early marriage.

Financial burdens associated with secondary education including transport, books, uniforms, examination fees, and private tuition, were also identified as major reasons for adolescents leaving school.

Weak governance and leadership systems

NITI Aayog further flags fragmented governance structures, large administrative vacancies, and weak school leadership systems.

The report says block and district-level education offices in several regions face vacancies as high as 50-60 per cent, limiting governance effectiveness.

It also criticises inspection-driven supervision systems that focus more on procedural compliance than academic mentoring and instructional improvement.

School Management Committees (SMCs), mandated under the Right to Education Act, were found to suffer from irregular meetings, weak participation, and limited decision-making capacity.

Teacher shortages and weak training systems

Teacher workforce management emerges as another major concern in the report.

It points to uneven teacher deployment, multi-grade classrooms, administrative overload, and poor pre-service teacher education systems.

The report notes that many teachers spend significant time on non-teaching duties such as surveys, election work, and record-keeping, reducing classroom instructional time.

It also highlights serious concerns about subject expertise among teachers.

“Many teachers themselves score below 60-70 per cent in subject papers of the grades they teach,” the report says, citing findings from Project SATH-E.

The report additionally flags weak mentoring systems, faculty shortages in teacher training institutions, low professional status of teachers, and increasing reliance on temporary contractual appointments.

Shift towards private schools

The report observes a significant rise in dependence on private schools, particularly at the secondary level.

It states that enrolment in government schools has declined from 71 per cent in 2005 to 49.24 per cent in 2024-25, driven largely by perceptions that private schools offer better discipline, English-medium instruction, and employability prospects.

However, the report cautions that many low-fee private schools perform poorly on learning outcomes and often lack adequate infrastructure and qualified teachers.

Foundational learning and pedagogy gaps

On the academic side, the report highlights a persistent mismatch between curriculum, pedagogy, and learning outcomes.

It says classroom teaching remains heavily focused on textbook completion and rote learning, with insufficient attention to foundational literacy, conceptual understanding, and real-life application of knowledge.

Citing ASER 2024, the report notes that nearly half of Grade 5 students in rural India cannot read a Grade 2 text.

PARAKH 2024 findings further showed that students struggle with applying mathematical concepts, interpreting information, and solving real-world problems.

The report also points to limited readiness for integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into classrooms, weak teacher capacity in digital pedagogy, and concerns over ethical and cognitive risks linked to excessive AI dependence among students.

Mental health and holistic development neglected

NITI Aayog says schools continue to lack institutional mechanisms for addressing student mental health and emotional wellbeing.

According to the report, access to trained counsellors remains limited, while socio-emotional learning has not yet become a core part of teacher training or classroom practices.

The report also identifies gaps in physical health, nutrition, arts education, life skills, and digital wellbeing initiatives.