The West Bengal government has established a committee to determine the future of 933 primary and high schools that have reported zero student enrollment for several years, according to school education minister Dipak Burman.
Addressing the media in Alipurduar district, Burman stated that the buildings, land, playgrounds, and other assets of these schools remain unused, with some effectively non-functional. One proposed option is to make school properties available to other government departments through an interdepartmental exchange, allowing the department to examine the proposal further.
The initiative follows broader challenges of zero- and low-enrollment schools in the state. UDISE+ data reveals that 4,133 schools reported zero enrollment in 2025-26, with nearly 19,500 teachers still posted to these institutions. The government has mandated physical verification to confirm their current status and infrastructure.
Burman acknowledged concerns about schools with minimal student numbers and insufficient staffing. He emphasized efforts to ensure adequate teacher allocation, noting that future recruitment through the School Service Commission would address staffing needs. “Hopefully by 2027 academic year, every school will have the required teachers,” he said.
The state has implemented a teacher transfer policy allowing educators and sanctioned posts to shift from zero or low-enrollment schools to institutions with vacancies. Government data indicates 6,769 schools operate with a single teacher, serving approximately 2.3 lakh students.
A 2019-20 to 2023-24 Comptroller and Auditor General audit of Samagra Shiksha implementation identified 5,152 schools with only one teacher affecting 1,76,491 students, while 520 schools had no teachers at all.
Regarding remote-area schools, Burman clarified that institutions in regions with sparse populations and no nearby alternatives will continue operating. However, schools within proximity of others may face restructuring or closure.
The Supreme Court’s April 2025 ruling canceled appointments of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff from the 2016 recruitment process, prompting a fresh selection drive. The 2025 SSC recruitment includes over 35,000 assistant-teacher positions for Classes 9 to 12.
The committee’s recommendations may reshape resource allocation across the education system. If properties are transferred to other departments, it may free up funds for infrastructure improvements in active schools.
However, critics might question whether relocating assets addresses underlying enrollment declines driven by population shifts or migration.
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