Nearly 8,000 Indian Schools Have Zero Students but Employ Over 20,000 Teachers: A Stark Education Paradox

In an eye-opening turn of events in the education sector in India close to 8,000 schools in the country have reported zero student enrolment in the 2024-25 school year- but they have over 20,000 teachers combined. Yes, you read that right. The Ministry of Education data show that in 7,993 schools there are no children in school, yet the payrolls are filled with 20,817 teachers to service the non-existent classes.

West Bengal is in the lead with 3,812 schools and a staggering 17,965 teachers in its staff. The next two states include Telangana and Madhya Pradesh with 2, 245 and 463 zero-enrolment schools that have 1,016 and 223 teachers respectively. There are 81 such silent schools in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, such states as Haryana, Maharashtra, Goa and even union territories such as Delhi have no such bizarre numbers.

It is an outrageous ineffectiveness that should be immediately addressed by reform. The figures are somewhat better on the fact that the number of zero-enrolment schools is reduced to 38 percent in comparison to the astounding 12,954 of the last year to the current 7,993.

The education officials acknowledge the fact that school management is a state government business, many of whom are currently consolidating schools, rationalising staff, and attempting to make sense of this mess. Still the question remains heavy: why hold on to thousands of teachers on payroll without students to teach?

With India making a case for equity and quality in education, this paradox seems to portray a warning note, that resources are important, but accountability is equally important. Enough is enough, we must no longer spend on empty classrooms and we must invest in education, which actually serves the children.

This unsettling open-picture of the education infrastructure in India needs to rouse political leaders, policy makers, and citizens alike into taking action, since every seat left vacant is a wasted chance to build a prosperous and literate country.