Raja Syed Rather
Government schools in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have some of the best student-teacher ratios in the country, the latest data from the Ministry of Education reveals.
As per the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2023-24, Jammu and Kashmir has one teacher for every 9 students at the foundational level (preschool to Class 2), one for every 7 students at the preparatory level (Classes 3 to 5), one for every 8 students at the middle level (Classes 6 to 8), and one for every 17 students at the secondary level (Classes 9 to 12).
Ladakh, with its small population and unique geographical conditions, has even better ratios. The region has one teacher for every 3 students at the foundational level, one for every 2 students at the preparatory and middle levels, and one for every 6 students at the secondary level.
These figures are among the lowest in the country, ensuring a high level of teacher availability In contrast, states like Bihar and Jharkhand face severe teacher shortages at the secondary level, with one teacher handling 43 and 46 students on average, respectively. This overcrowding makes personalized learning difficult and affects overall education quality.
