Asansol School halts class XI admissions due to teacher shortage

Kolkata: Barakar Sree Marwari Vidyalaya, an over 80-year-old school in Asansol, West Burdwan, has announced that it will not admit students to Class XI for the 2025–26 academic session, citing a severe shortage of teaching staff.

A notice issued by the school stated: “We sincerely regret to announce that we are unable to accept admissions for Class XI (2025–26). This difficult decision stems from an unforeseen shortage of approved teaching staff. Inconvenience is deeply regretted.”

The school, which offers instruction in both Bengali and Hindi mediums, has nearly 1,200 students but only 12 teachers at present. According to teacher-in-charge Dipika Roy, the school requires a minimum of 36 teachers to function effectively.

“We currently have only 12 teachers. Two of them, who teach Physics and English in Classes XI and XII, have lost their jobs following the recent Supreme Court verdict. They will continue teaching until December, but what will happen after that? We don’t have the required staff, so we cannot admit students to Class XI this year,” Roy said.

The matter has been reported to the district school education authorities. The school’s management committee is expected to meet soon to discuss possible solutions to the ongoing staffing crisis.

The announcement has triggered concern among students who have recently passed their Madhyamik exams, as well as their parents, who are now uncertain about where their children will pursue higher secondary education.

District Inspector of Schools (DIs) Soumen Laha said, “Admissions for Classes XI and XII are currently on hold. We will speak with the school and the Higher Secondary Council to find a way forward. Since there is still time left for admissions, we hope no student will face serious difficulty.”