HYDERABAD: With the 2026–27 academic year underway, government schools across Telangana are facing a shortage of subject teachers following a large number of retirements, prompting renewed demands from teachers’ unions for the appointment of Vidya Volunteers to ensure uninterrupted classroom teaching.
The issue has resurfaced even as the School Education Department recently directed District Educational Officers (DEOs) to identify surplus teachers and redeploy them to government and local body schools facing shortages based on student enrolment figures as of June 20.
However, teachers argue that redeployment alone cannot address the problem, particularly in high schools where specialised teachers are required for individual subjects. While there are no official vacancy figures, teacher representatives estimate that more than 1,000 subject teacher posts are lying vacant across the state.
Several government high schools have reportedly begun the academic year without teachers for Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences. The shortage has intensified following the retirement of hundreds of teachers in recent months. Teacher unions noted that vacancies have remained unfilled even as student enrolment continues to rise in many government schools.
“Unlike primary schools, high schools require subject experts. A Mathematics teacher cannot effectively teach Biology or Social Studies. Every high school needs qualified teachers for all core subjects to maintain academic standards. The burden often falls on available staff, who are compelled to handle multiple classes outside their area of expertise,” said I Umesh, a government school teacher from Secunderabad.
“A single teacher is sometimes managing two or three subjects or taking additional sections because sanctioned posts remain vacant. This affects both the quality of teaching and completion of the syllabus,” said Ahmed Khan, a government high school teacher from Santosh Nagar.
M Ravinder, additional general secretary of the Telangana Progressive Teachers Federation (TPTF), said redeploying teachers from surplus schools offers only temporary relief.
“While some schools have surplus staff, others are functioning without teachers for one or more subjects. Adjusting teachers from surplus schools often faces practical difficulties, as many teachers are reluctant to work on deputation or work-adjustment basis, leaving several schools with continuing vacancies,” he said. “Vidya Volunteers are not a permanent solution, but they are essential to bridge the gap until regular appointments are made. Without them, students are the ones who suffer,” he added.
Teacher unions recalled that around 16,650 Vidya Volunteers were engaged in government schools during the 2019–20 academic year.
