1,895 schools in MP without a single teacher: MP High Court seeks State's response on PIL

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued notice to the State of Madhya Pradesh and the Union of India on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition alleging a systemic collapse of public school education infrastructure across the State. The petition, filed by lawyer Saurabh Tripathi, highlights that 1,895 schools in the State are functioning without a single teacher, while 435 schools with zero student enrolment continue to have teachers posted to them. The court has sought the State's response within four weeks, relying on a Compliance Audit report and corroborated investigative reports.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Principal Bench at Jabalpur has taken cognizance of a pressing issue in the State's public school education infrastructure. A PIL petition filed by lawyer Saurabh Tripathi has brought to light a systemic collapse, with alarming statistics on teacher shortages and inefficient deployment. The court's decision to seek the State's response within four weeks underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for urgent action.

Public school education is a fundamental right in India, enshrined in Article 21A of the Constitution. However, the recent Compliance Audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has exposed widespread inefficiencies in the State's public school infrastructure. The audit covered 66,814 government schools for the period 2018 to March 2023 and revealed stark discrepancies in teacher deployment and student enrolment. This backdrop sets the stage for the PIL petition and the court's subsequent intervention.

The PIL petition's reliance on the CAG report and corroborated investigative reports underscores the gravity of the situation. The statistics presented – 1,895 schools without a single teacher and 435 schools with zero student enrolment but teachers posted to them – paint a dire picture of the State's public school education infrastructure. The court's decision to seek the State's response within four weeks suggests that it is taking a proactive approach to address this systemic collapse. However, the outcome of this matter has not yet been reported, leaving open questions on the next steps and potential remedies.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court's intervention in this matter highlights the need for urgent action to address the systemic collapse of public school education infrastructure in the State. Practitioners must closely watch the developments in this case, as it has significant implications for the State's education policy and governance. The court's decision to seek the State's response within four weeks underscores its commitment to upholding the fundamental right to education enshrined in the Constitution.