JAIPUR — The Rajasthan government on Wednesday announced its biggest-ever teacher recruitment drive, with plans to fill over 31,000 vacancies of grade-III school teachers across the state. The announcement signals a major push to address decades-long staffing shortages in Rajasthan's public education system and aims to bolster teaching capacity in both urban and rural schools.
Grade-III teachers form the backbone of primary and upper-primary education in Rajasthan's government and government-aided schools. They are typically the first-point educators responsible for foundational learning in subjects such as mathematics, science, and language for students in classes one through eight. The vacancy at hand spans districts across the state, with tribal and remote areas expected to see the largest share of new appointments given historical under-staffing in those regions.
Education officials said the recruitment will be conducted through a competitive examination process managed by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission, with separate merit lists prepared for general and reserved categories as per state reservation policy. Candidates must hold at least a bachelor's degree and a recognized teaching qualification, such as a B.Ed., to be eligible.
The move comes after years of protests by aspiring teachers and education activists who argued that large numbers of vacant posts have left existing staff overburdened and student learning outcomes compromised. Student-to-teacher ratios in several Rajasthan districts have long exceeded recommended norms, prompting repeated petitions to the state and national governments.
Government sources indicated that the recruitment exercise will be rolled out in phases, beginning with the publication of an official notification followed by application windows, written examinations, document verification, and final appointment orders. No date has yet been fixed for the examination or for when selected candidates will assume charge.
Teacher unions have welcomed the announcement but cautioned that timely execution and transparent selection remain critical. Without timely hiring, they warned, the quality of foundational education in Rajasthan — a state with one of India's largest school-age populations — will continue to suffer.
