CUTTACK: In a significant development, the Orissa High Court has issued notice to the director of Elementary Education, directing him to submit detailed data on the pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) across all government schools in the state.
The directive came in response to a petition filed by a government school teacher challenging his transfer before completion of the minimum retention period of three years.
Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad observed that the issue of premature transfers of teachers, in violation of existing transfer guidelines, was becoming a recurring subject of petitions filed in the court. The judge noted that in many cases, such transfers were being carried out without proper consideration of PTR, which has a direct bearing on the quality of education.
“The pupil-teacher ratio is fixed under the New Education Policy evolved by the central government, keeping in view a host of factors, as the future of nation depends upon the quality of education given to the growing children,” Justice Shripad stated, while citing noted educational theorists John Dreak and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen’s work ‘Golden Opportunity’ in support of its observations.
The NEP 2020 recommends a PTR of under 30:1 at each school level, with a preference for 25:1 in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. This is similar to the recommendations of the RTE Act 2009. Highlighting that the right to education is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution, the court said it could not overlook systemic deficiencies that affect the quality of schooling.
In an “unusual approach,” the court directed the director, Elementary Education, to provide detailed PTR data as of August 1 along with information on current vacancies and the steps being taken to address them. Until then, the petitioner’s transfer has been stayed and he will continue at his current school.