NEW DELHI: As the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) deliberates on making Sanskrit mandatory from Class VI, Delhi government schools are struggling with a severe shortage of teachers.
Data accessed by this newspaper shows that nearly eight lakh studentas studying in Classes VI to X are currently served by just 2,583 regular Sanskrit teachers, translating to roughly one teacher for every 310 students. The sanctioned strength of Sanskrit teachers is 4,818, leaving a vacancy of nearly 46%.
The shortage is particularly acute at the level of postgraduate teachers. Against 695 sanctioned posts for postgraduate teachers (PGT) in Sanskrit, only 374 are filled, while 321 remain vacant. At the trained graduate teacher (TGT) level, 2,209 regular teachers and 1,879 guest teachers are in place against 4,123 sanctioned posts, with 35 positions still lying vacant.
A Sanskrit teacher from Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Surajmal Vihar, said the problem has persisted for years despite repeated talks about promoting the language. “The government should understand the importance of Sanskrit. If it is making the language mandatory, it must also ensure adequate staffing. To implement any such plan, schools will require a large number of additional Sanskrit teachers,” the teacher said.
Senior Sanskrit teachers in short supply, junior staff handling Classes XI, XII
Teachers add that despite the shortage, schools routinely assign them to duties unrelated to their subject. “Schools consider Sanskrit teachers as extras. They ask Sanskrit teachers to take primary classes or random substitute periods. I am currently taking six classes and, on many days, I am asked to teach Hindi as a substitute,” said a TGT Sanskrit teacher posted at a government school in Kalyanvas.
School heads warn that the impact of shortage is already visible at the senior secondary level. A principal at a government school in Shalimar
Bagh said students often struggle due to a lack of qualified PGT Sanskrit teachers. “Students who fail English in Class X often opt for Hindi and Sanskrit in Class XI. But, many fail to perform well later, because we do not have enough PGT Sanskrit teachers. TGTs are handling most of the classes,” the principal said.
However, some schools report a different experience. Menaka Priyadarshan, a TGT Sanskrit teacher in Laxmi Nagar, said her school has adequate teaching support and students perform well in the subject. Yet she pointed to a structural challenge. “Many students take Sanskrit because they see it as an easier option. At the same time, students who genuinely excel in Sanskrit after Class X often drop it because they want to continue studying English alongside Hindi,” she said, adding that the current subject combination discourages them from pursuing the language further.
