Imparting Quality Education

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which became operative with effect from 1st April, 2010 prescribes that Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) in schools should be maintained as per the following: specifications:-

(i)	For first class to fifth class	Two teachers up to 60 admitted children Three teachers for 61 to 90 children Four teachers for 91 to 120 children Five teachers for 121 to 200 children Five teachers plus one Head teacher if the number of admitted children is above 150; and the Pupil-Teacher Ratio (excluding Head-teachers) shall not exceed forty if the number of admitted children is above 200
(ii)	For sixth class to eighth class	At least one teacher per class so that there shall be at least one teacher each for (i) Science and Mathematics; (ii) Social Studies; and (iii) Languages At least one teacher for every 35 children; Where admission of children is above 100, there shall be (i) a full time head-teacher and (ii) part time instructors for Art Education, Health & Physical Education and Work Education.

As per the norms and standards prescribed under the RTE Act, school building shall have a barrier-free access and at least one class-room for every teacher and an office-cum-store-cum-Head teacher’s room.

Imparting quality education is an ongoing process. A time frame of three years (i.e. up to 31^st March, 2013) has been mandated under the RTE Act, 2009 for provision of teachers as per the prescribed PTR. With a view to supporting States to improve the PTR, the norms for providing teachers under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA) have been revised to correspond with the PTR mandated under the RTE Act, 2009. Till October, 2011, 19.14 lakh posts of teachers have been sanctioned under SSA, against which 12.01 lakh teachers have been recruited till 31.3.2011 by the State Governments/UTs.

This information was given by Dr. D. Purandeswari, Minister of State for Human Resource in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabhatoday.

Source : PIB dtd 23/11/2011