2 months ago
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West Bengal’s higher education strategy is progressively being defined by an antithetic feature: an exceptionally precocious reliance connected impermanent teachers. While contractual and ad-hoc module are not uncommon crossed Indian universities, the standard observed successful West Bengal is acold beyond the nationalist norm. Evidence from the All India Survey connected Higher Education (AISHE) reveals that this is not a short-term administrative adjustment, but a persistent structural diagnostic of the system.
The illustration beneath captures the magnitude of the issue. Over the past decade, the stock of impermanent teachers successful West Bengal has consistently remained supra 15%, acold exceeding that of immoderate different large State. In 2021-22, portion Rajasthan (1.25%), Tamil Nadu (2.84%), and adjacent Uttar Pradesh (6%) reported comparatively humble shares, West Bengal stood astatine a striking 18%. In implicit presumption too, the State leads, with implicit 13,200 impermanent teachers — higher than Karnataka (11,300), which ranks second.
The skew is adjacent sharper on sex lines. Temporary appointments relationship for 22.5% of each pistillate teachers successful the State, compared to 15.4% for men. The adjacent highest stock of pistillate impermanent teachers among large States is conscionable 7.8%.
While the latest information from AISHE are disposable lone up to 2021-22, the insights they uncover are inactive relevant. Structural features of higher acquisition systems specified arsenic organization capacity, hiring practices, and workforce creation thin to germinate slowly. As such, the trends observed are improbable to person reversed dramatically successful the abbreviated span since, and proceed to connection invaluable insights.
A communal mentation for the unusually precocious stock of impermanent teachers successful West Bengal could beryllium that specified reliance stems from a frost successful imperishable recruitment. However, data does not enactment this claim. Growth successful imperishable teaching positions successful West Bengal has fluctuated betwixt 8% and 15% annually — neither stagnant nor unusually debased comparative to different States. Moreover, we spot that the maturation of impermanent and imperishable teachers successful West Bengal has broadly moved successful tandem.
An alternate enactment of enquiry is whether this signifier reflects a demand-side pressure, specifically whether a higher Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) successful West Bengal has outpaced the system’s quality to grow imperishable faculty. However, a examination of GER across States suggests otherwise. West Bengal’s GER (26.3% successful 2021-22) is not peculiarly high; successful fact, it lies toward the little extremity of the spectrum, with States similar Tamil Nadu (47%), and adjacent Rajasthan (28.6%) outperforming by a margin.
The problem, therefore, lies elsewhere — connected the proviso broadside of higher education.
Strained numbers
West Bengal has not been capable to grow its organization capableness successful enactment with rising demand. Between 2017-18 and 2020-21, the fig of institutions grew by conscionable 10.83%, good beneath different States with comparatively weaker acquisition infrastructure, specified arsenic Rajasthan (23.5%), Madhya Pradesh (21%), and Uttar Pradesh (19%). This constricted enlargement has resulted successful a dense load connected existing institutions. With astir 1,100 students per institute, West Bengal ranks 2nd successful the country, down Delhi, and acold supra astir different States.
This strain is further reflected successful teaching capacity. The pupil-teacher ratio successful the State ranges betwixt 29 and 35 — among the poorest successful India.
Compared to galore different large states, the fig of imperishable module per one lakh students is besides debased successful West Bengal (257). These indicators converge connected a azygous conclusion: determination are simply not capable institutions oregon imperishable teachers to conscionable the request for higher education.
In this context, the proliferation of impermanent teachers appears little a argumentation prime and much a coping mechanism. An excessive reliance connected impermanent teachers whitethorn person a fiscal inducement from the State’s position successful the abbreviated run, but it has definite semipermanent consequences connected the wellness of the higher acquisition system. By design, specified positions connection constricted occupation security, little pay, and small scope for probe oregon nonrecreational development.
This tin adversely impact teaching quality, arsenic instructors juggling aggregate appointments whitethorn person little clip and little inducement for pupil engagement oregon program development. A strategy that depends heavy connected precarious employment risks disincentivising individuals from pursuing world careers altogether. Moreover, since impermanent positions are disproportionately filled by women and early-career academics, existing inequities are deepened.
The implications of this structural imbalance widen beyond the higher acquisition strategy itself. In caller years, the argumentation absorption of the West Bengal authorities has progressively leaned towards currency transportation schemes aimed astatine contiguous payment gains.
While specified interventions help vulnerable households, they cannot substitute long-term investments successful quality capital.
Addressing the underlying structural constraints — expanding organization capacity, improving student-teacher ratios, and strengthening the basal of imperishable module — is essential. Without these reforms, the State risks undermining its quality to make a skilled and productive workforce.
The authors are Assistant Professors, FLAME University. With inputs from Ridhima Mittal, UG2 student, FLAME University.
