Education crisis in IIOJK: Over 32,000 students taught by single teachers across 1,371 schools
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, over 32,000 students are being taught by just one teacher each across 1,371 schools, raising serious concerns over the quality of education and staff shortages.
According to Kashmir Media Service, this grim reality contradicts the Modi government’s claims of transformative progress in human resources and infrastructure since the abrogation of IIOJK’s special status in August 2019.
Official data reveals that 1,371 schools in IIOJK operate with a single teacher, collectively accommodating 32,303 students. This number has risen from a previous report, which showed 1,330 such schools with 31,054 students.
Moreover, in 2024 alone, more than 4,400 government-run schools were shut down due to zero or negligible student enrollment. As of July 2024, IIOJK had 23,117 government schools, of which 4,394 were removed from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) records, reflecting widespread school closures.
While authorities continue to claim adequate staffing and infrastructure, these figures paint a different picture, exposing the gap between official rhetoric and ground realities in IIOJK.
