17k teacher posts vacant in Haryana, minister tells House

Chandigarh: Govt schools across Haryana are grappling with a significant shortage of teaching staff, with around 17,000 different teaching positions lying vacant as of March 2025, according to figures tabled in the state assembly on Tuesday.In a written reply to a starred question by INLD's Rania MLA Arjun Chautala, education minister Mahipal Dhanda disclosed detailed district-wise and category-wise data on sanctioned and vacant posts in primary, secondary and senior secondary schools across the state.
As per data, against 37,738 sanctioned posts of post-graduate teachers (PGTs), 8,519 posts remain vacant. Similarly, 4,583 posts of trained graduate teachers (TGTs) and 2,557 posts of primary teachers (PRTs) are unfilled. In addition, 574 posts of principals and 759 posts of headmasters were vacant till March 2025. Non-teaching staff shortages are also evident, with 686 clerk posts and 4,134 Class IV posts lying vacant.Among districts, Nuh-Mewat region reported particularly high vacancies, including 1,088 TGT posts and 1,693 PRT posts. Sirsa, Faridabad and Gurgaon also recorded substantial gaps in PGT and TGT categories.In some districts, however, data showed negative figures in specific categories indicating that more teachers are currently working than the number of sanctioned posts due to internal adjustments or deputations.To ensure students' education is not adversely affected, the minister informed, govt has undertaken internal adjustments of teachers in schools facing acute shortages. Additionally, contractual appointments are being made through direct recruitment and via Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN) to bridge immediate gaps.Shating information regarding efforts to fill vacancies, the minister informed that for the post of principal, which is filled entirely through promotion, 635 PGTs and headmasters have already been promoted against 574 vacant posts as of Nov 27, 2025. Further promotion cases are under consideration.The recruitment process for 759 vacant headmaster posts, however, has been stalled following a legal challenge in the Punjab and Haryana high court. The court has stayed the promotion process, and action will depend on its final verdict.Regarding PGT recruitment, requisitions were sent to the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) in 2022 and 2024 for a total of 7,545 posts. Appointment letters have been issued to 3,701 candidates so far, while the selection process for remaining posts is ongoing. Additionally, 915 TGTs have been promoted to PGT during the 2025–26 academic session.For TGT positions, around 2,700 PRTs and C&V teachers have been promoted in the 2024–25 and 2025–26 sessions. Meanwhile, a requisition to fill 1,456 PRT posts under the Mewat cadre has been sent to the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), and appointments will be made upon receipt of recommendations, the minister informed the house.LARGE GAPPostSanctionedVacantPrincipal2,576574Headmaster916759PGTs37,7388,519TGTs39,8284,583PRTs37,7592,557Clerks4,758686Class-IV12,6034,134