200 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 125 Navodaya Vidyalayas running headless: Report

New Delhi: At least 200 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 125 Navodaya Vidyalayas across the country have no principals, as per a report submitted to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD).

The report also highlights shortage of over 10,000 teachers, including those for primary classes, in KVs.

The revelation comes against the backdrop of demands from aspiring teachers and education stakeholders for filling up vacant positions in various institutions including the prestigious IITs and central universities such as the DU.

According to the annual report for the year 2015-16, submitted by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, which manages operations of the KVs across the country, out of total 1,081 posts for principals, 200 of them are vacant while position of Vice-Principals is vacant in 113 schools.

"10,039 teaching posts including TGTs, PGTs and PRTs are also vacant in Kendriya Vidyalayas besides 14,144 non-teaching posts", the report pointed out.

At present 1,142 Kendriya Vidyalayas are functioning under the KVS, including three abroad -- Moscow (Russia), Kathmandu (Nepal) and Tehran (Iran) -- with an aim to cater to the educational needs of children of transferable central government officials including defence and para-military personnel by providing a common programme of education.

The Union Cabinet had last month approved setting up of 50 new Kendriya Vidyalayas and creation of 650 regular posts to provide quality education to around 50,000 students.

Similar faculty shortage has been pointed out in the annual report of the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti which supervises functioning of the Javahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in the country.

JNVs are government-funded residential schools set-up in each district of the country for gifted students.

"Out of 589 sanctioned posts of principals in JNVs 125 are vacant while 53 schools do not have vice-principals. A total of 2,023 teaching posts and 1,734 non-teaching posts are also lying vacant in JNVs across the country," the annual report said.

Both KVs and JNVs follow the curriculum of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).