Bengaluru: The issue of teacher shortage in government schools of Karnataka state has resurfaced again due to continued involvement of teachers in various duties related to Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The assignment of such duties has made it difficult for schools that have been suffering from vacancies to cope up with the situation, causing concern regarding the instruction and completion of syllabus.
It has recently been reported from Bengaluru that the effect has been more prominent in those schools which have been seeing a few teachers at the same time taking duties in relation to the SIR.
Why are there teacher shortages in Karnataka government schools?
There have been some teacher shortages in Karnataka government schools as some of the teachers have been asked to undertake certain non-teaching duties, including duties pertaining to Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The absence of teachers from the classroom for some days means the other teachers in the school might have to take more classes than they usually do.
SIR duty is adding pressure on already stretched schools
Teachers are routinely called upon for certain government administrative responsibilities, but the current SIR exercise has raised particular concerns because of its duration and the number of educators involved.
The New Indian Express reported in August that teachers in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka were still involved in SIR duties after the initial August 17 deadline, with the claims-and-objections stage expected to continue until October 22.
A separate report in late August quoted Karnataka’s Commissioner for School Education Vikas Kishor Suralkar as saying that about 20% of teachers were still on SIR duty, acknowledging an impact on teaching in government schools. The department said guest teachers and additional classes were being used to address the disruption.
What happens when teachers are pulled out of classrooms?
The consequences can extend beyond simply having fewer teachers available for a day.
Schools may have to:
- Combine classes when staffing is inadequate.
- Ask teachers to handle subjects outside their normal assignments.
- Increase the workload of headmasters and other teachers.
- Depend on guest teachers to cover vacant or temporarily unavailable posts.
- Conduct additional classes to complete the syllabus.
- Delay regular assessments and classroom activities.
Reports from Bengaluru have described schools where students have had limited access to subject-specific teaching because so many educators were assigned to SIR duties.
Bengaluru schools also face infrastructure concerns
Teacher availability is only one part of the wider concern surrounding government schools.
During recent visits to government schools in Bengaluru, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka, raised concerns about teacher shortages and the condition of some school buildings.
One of the schools highlighted was the Government Urdu Higher Primary School in Varthur. According to allegations made by Ranka, around 70% of the classrooms were closed because of concerns about falling roofs. The claims were reported by other news organisations, although the specific structural allegations had not been independently verified by the time of publication.
That distinction is important: allegations about a particular building should not be presented as independently established facts unless they have been verified by the relevant authorities or through an independent inspection.
School safety has become an additional concern
There have been problems in the area of infrastructure since another event took place in Karnataka.
It was reported that there was a collapse of a ceiling in one of the classrooms of a government school in Bagalkote on September 2nd which left six students injured. This incident led to the Karnataka Lokayukta to conduct an audit and ensure that the concerned authority makes sure that the students are not taught in those unsafe areas.
The above-mentioned example shows that school infrastructure is not merely a maintenance problem.
Karnataka has announced measures to address teacher vacancies
Efforts have also been made by Government of Karnataka to increase the number of teachers in schools.
The recruitment of 15,000 teachers in government primary and high schools has been sanctioned by the Government of Karnataka for the year 2026-27. As per Careers360, 6,967 vacancies have been offered in the Kalyana Karnataka region and 8,033 vacancies in non-Kalyana Karnataka region.
Making improvements in government schools has been emphasized in the Budget of Government of Karnataka for 2026-27. The conversion of 800 schools into Karnataka Public Schools and filling up of vacancies of teachers in these schools through transfer counselling and recruitment has been included in this budget.
Improvement of school infrastructure has also been funded in the budget. Amount of ₹565 crores has been allocated for construction of new rooms and repairs, ₹75 crores for construction of toilets, ₹25 crores for purchase of furniture and ₹125 crores for maintenance of school and colleges.
How does teacher shortage affect students?
Teacher shortages can have a direct effect on students when vacancies or temporary staff shortages continue for long periods.
The most immediate effects can include:
- Less individual attention: Larger combined classes make it harder for teachers to address individual learning gaps.
- Syllabus delays: Teachers covering additional subjects or classes may struggle to maintain the planned academic schedule.
- Reduced assessment: Regular tests and formative assessments can be delayed when teaching schedules are disrupted.
- Learning gaps: Students may miss important concepts if replacement teaching is inconsistent.
- Additional pressure on teachers: Existing staff may experience increased workloads while attempting to compensate for absent colleagues.
Recent reporting from Karnataka has documented examples of combined classes, delayed assessments and teachers taking on additional academic responsibilities.
What can be done to protect classroom learning?
The immediate priority should be to ensure that administrative assignments do not leave schools without enough teachers to conduct regular classes.
Several measures could help:
- Maintain minimum classroom staffing before assigning teachers to extended non-academic duties.
- Use dedicated personnel for long-running administrative exercises wherever possible.
- Deploy guest teachers quickly when vacancies arise.
- Prioritise schools with the highest student-to-teacher pressure.
- Conduct safety inspections before students use damaged classrooms.
- Publish clear timelines for repairing unsafe school buildings.
- Monitor syllabus completion and learning outcomes after teachers return from SIR duties.
- Provide additional academic support where students have lost substantial instructional time.
Karnataka’s education authorities have already indicated that extra classes may be used to compensate for lost instructional time. Officials have also discussed the possibility of using additional school days if required.
The larger issue: teachers need to be in classrooms
SIR duty responsibilities are ultimately part of a bigger issue of how the government reconciles the administrative needs with the essence of the public schools.
The election activities are vital; however, so is making sure the children get uninterrupted education. The cost of taking teachers out of the classroom for such long times is paid by the children, the other teachers, and the school management.
Moreover, infrastructure issues point to the fact that providing better education through the government requires much more than just filling up the gaps. Schools need proper classrooms, working toilets, proper furniture, good learning material, and a proper number of teachers.
So for the Karnataka government school system, the immediate problem consists of two main components: providing enough teachers and making sure their classrooms are safe for the children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are teachers in Karnataka government schools being assigned SIR duties?
Teachers have been deployed for work related to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, including responsibilities associated with Booth Level Officer duties. The extended nature of the exercise has raised concerns because teachers are simultaneously expected to maintain regular academic responsibilities.
How many teachers are being recruited in Karnataka in 2026?
The Karnataka government has approved the recruitment of 15,000 teachers for government primary and high schools for the 2026-27 academic year. The approved posts are divided between the Kalyana Karnataka and non-Kalyana Karnataka regions.
Is SIR affecting school education in Karnataka?
Yes. Karnataka’s School Education Commissioner has acknowledged that the deployment of teachers for SIR has affected teaching in government schools. The state has been using guest teachers and additional classes to mitigate the impact.
What infrastructure concerns have been reported in Bengaluru government schools?
Recent inspections and reports have raised concerns about deteriorating infrastructure in some Bengaluru government schools, including allegations concerning unsafe roofs at a government Urdu school in Varthur. Those specific structural allegations should be treated as allegations unless independently verified by authorities or an inspection.
What is Karnataka doing to improve government schools?
The state has announced teacher recruitment as well as funding for school upgrades, repairs, toilets, furniture and maintenance. The 2026-27 Budget also proposes upgrading 800 schools into Karnataka Public Schools.
Conclusion
Government schools in Karnataka are struggling to balance staffing issues with infrastructural challenges. SIR activities, coupled with the absence of some staff in many institutions, have only worsened the situation, while infrastructural problems, which affect the safety of students, have been brought up separately.
The approval of 15,000 new posts of teachers and funds allocated to improve school infrastructure is an important development indeed. Nevertheless, these decisions will prove their merit through the ability to provide students with sufficient numbers of qualified educators, undisturbed teaching process, and a safe environment for study.
