Lok Sabha Question No. 256 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-18
Subject: Teachers’ Absenteeism
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: DINESH TRIVEDI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 256 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2017

## Teachers' Absenteeism

## 256. SHRI DINESH TRIVEDI:

## Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the ratio of teacher absenteeism in Government schools in rural districts in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b) the number of teachers, both permanent and contractual employed in the Government schools in rural districts of India;
- (c) the reasons identified by the Government for high rates of teacher absenteeism in rural areas;
- (d) whether the Government is taking any measures to incentivise teachers posted in Government schools in rural areas and to remedy the reasons stated above; and
- (e) if so, details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a) to (c):  The Central Government has conducted two studies of teachers' attendance in the years  2006  and  2013.  According  to  these  two  studies,  the  overall  attendance  of  teachers improved from 81.7% to 84.3% at primary level and from 80.5% to 81.3% at upper primary level. As per the study conducted in 2013, the main reasons for teacher absenteeism include illness of a family member, health reason of teacher, residence far away from school, lack of transport suited to school timing, engaged in other economic activities (e.g. agriculture, business, tuitions, etc.), posting in a school not of the teacher's liking, participation in political/social activities, etc.

The  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education  (RTE)  Act,  2009  has  been enacted for universalization of elementary education i.e for classes I to VIII across the country. The RTE Act, 2009 in its Schedule lays down Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) for both primary and upper primary schools. At primary level, the norm for PTR is 30:1 and at the upper primary level it is 35:1. As per the UDISE 2015-16, the PTR at national level for primary schools is 23:1 and upper primary schools is 17:1, which is better than the norm laid down in the RTE Act, 2009. As per RMSA framework, PTR norm at secondary level is 30:1. As per UDISE 2015-16, the PTR at

Secondary Level is 27:1. There are 2950807 contractual teachers and 495002 regular teachers posted in rural area at elementary level and at secondary level there are 443061 contractual teachers and 42768 regular teachers posted in rural area as per UDISE 2015-16. (d) to (e): The recruitment and service conditions, including monitoring of teachers' attendance are primarily in the domain of State Governments and UT Administrations. Section 24 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 mandates that a teacher appointed under sub-section (1) of the Section 23 shall perform the following  duties,  namely  (a)  maintain  regularity  and  punctuality  in  attending  school  and  (b) complete entire curriculum within specified time. Further, the steps taken by the Central Government to improve teachers' performance Management Committees/School  Management  Development  Committees/Block  Resource  Centres/Clusters Resource Centres and encouraging States and UTs to use digital technology like installation of include, inter alia, monitoring teachers' attendance through School Bio-metric attendance system in schools.

Additionally,  the  central  Government  has  issued  advisories  to  States  and  UTs  for redeployment of teachers and to ensure that all school teachers should spend adequate time serving in rural areas through a transparent policy.

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