Over the past 10 years, Gujarat’s grant-in-aid schools have revealed a striking discrepancy, with 99% of vacant principal positions concentrated in secondary and higher secondary Gujarati-medium schools.
As per official data, approximately 80% to 85% of students enrolled in the state’s grant-in-aid schools enter these schools and education experts argue that this demonstrates systematic discrimination against them.
According to current data for 2024–25, there are 889 principal posts vacant in Gujarati-medium schools or 99.21% of the total number of vacancies in the state, out of a total of 896 positions. The remaining seven positions are split among different language mediums. There are five vacancies at English-medium schools and two at Hindi-medium ones.
Junagadh district has the most vacant principal jobs in Gujarati-medium schools with 54, followed by Dahod (51), Sabarkantha (47), Rajkot (46), Kheda (45) and Mahisagar (43).
There are 41 open vacancies in Gujarati-medium schools in Ahmedabad district and 23 vacant positions in Gandhinagar district.
Education experts say that school officials have repeatedly raised this issue with the state over the last 10 years, but the state government has not made any appointments or promotions.
Media reports claim that ‘despite the education department’s repeated claims about recruiting efforts, no significant progress has been made so far’.
The absence of principals, according to school administrators, leads to several issues for both the teaching and administrative staff and eventually has a negative impact on the education of the students.
Schools have been asked to provide information on open teaching vacancies in subjects including computer, music and drawing by the state education department.
In order for the department to assign contractual assistant teachers to these positions, schools are required by the circular from the commissioner of schools to upload the information of any vacancies by November 10.
Also Read: DRI Seizes Gold Worth Over Rs 4 Cr at Surat Airport, Some of It Hidden in Undergarments
