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While many schools in the remote and far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir are facing a shortage of teaching staff, 61 teachers have been "serving" in government-run educational institutions with zero student enrolment across the Union Territory.

There are as many as 146 government schools across Jammu and Kashmir that do not have even a single student, yet teachers continue to be posted in these institutions.

These startling revelations were revealed in the latest report by NITI Aayog in the school education system of Jammu and Kashmir, with 146 government schools in the Union Territory reporting zero student enrolment.

The report, which assesses the state of school education across India, points to a troubling mismatch between educational infrastructure and actual student presence.

Despite having no students on their rolls, these 146 schools continue to exist on paper, and remarkably, 61 teachers remain posted in theseinstitutions,drawing salaries and utilizing public resources even though there is not a single child to teach.

It is important to mention here that the teaching staff has been deployed in the zero-enrolment schools, despite the fact that many schools in remote and far-flung areas are struggling with an acute shortage of teaching staff.

Over 32,000 Students in Single-Teacher Schools

The report further highlights another pressing concern: 1,371 government schools in Jammu and Kashmir are being run by a single teacher. As many as 32,303 students are studying in these single-teacher schools. Apart from handling multiple classes and subjects, the only teacher in these schools has to solve administrative responsibilities also.

Education experts say that such a situation severely compromises the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in geographicallychallenging and underserved regions where access to education is already difficult.

Himachal Pradesh Sets an Example

What makes the situation in Jammu and Kashmir even more striking is the contrast with neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, another mountainous state with similarly difficult terrain. According to the same report, Himachal Pradesh does not have a single government school with zero enrolment, reflecting better educational planning, regular updating of records, and more efficient deployment of teachers.

Nearly 13 Percent of Schools Lack Electricity

While extensive work has been undertaken over the past decade to provide electricity to schools across the country, hundreds of schools in several states, including Jammu and Kashmir, still lack this basic facility.

According to the latest education report, only 87.2 percent of schools in Jammu and Kashmir are projected to have electricity by 2024–25, while approximately 12.8 percent will still remain without electricity.

The report states that electricity is a basic necessity for any school. It provides lighting and ventilation in classrooms, enables digital education and smart classes, and helps students continue learning even during inclement weather. Without electricity, a modern, technology-driven education system is virtually unimaginable.

According to the data, only 25.1 percent of schools in Jammu and Kashmir had electricity in 2014–15. This figure increased to 87.2 percent in 2024–25, representing significant progress over the past decade. The report includes Jammu and Kashmir among the regions that have made substantial improvements in providing electricity to schools.