‘Cluster Model’ For West Bengal Schools Amid Shortage Of Teachers: What This Means?

Last Updated:June 05, 2025, 19:27 IST

Many schools are experiencing a shortage of subject-specific teachers. To address this issue, the Higher Secondary Education Council is introducing a ‘cluster model.’

West Bengal has halted the recruitment of teachers, and older teachers are retiring one by one. Additionally, the Supreme Court has ordered the cancellation of around 26,000 teaching jobs. Consequently, many schools are experiencing a shortage of subject-specific teachers.

To address this issue, the Higher Secondary Education Council is introducing a ‘cluster model.’ The ‘mapping’ process for this initiative has already been completed. The third semester of Higher Secondary and the second semester of Class 11 will commence in September and October. The Education Council aims to implement the ‘cluster model’ before these semesters begin.

There are 7002 schools under the WBCHSE across the state, offering 49 subjects, including arts, commerce, and science. Currently, there is a shortage of subject-specific teachers in many schools.

WB board President Chiranjeev Bhattacharya stated, “We want to ensure that students do not face any difficulties. To address the teacher shortage, we have adopted the ‘cluster model’ for the students’ benefit.”

What Is The ‘Cluster Model’?

The Education Council plans to establish an area-based hub or central school, connecting surrounding schools to it. According to regulations, one teacher is required for every 10 students, but this ratio isn’t always met. Therefore, teachers from the hub school and nearby schools will rotate to conduct classes in all the schools.

For instance, if one school has 10 students with a chemistry teacher, but a neighboring school lacks a chemistry teacher for 25 students, the teacher from the hub school will teach both groups. This process will be called the ‘cluster model.’

The council will first divide the district into ‘Education Sub-Divisions,’ each consisting of up to 30 schools. Initially, the Council has mapped areas including Kolkata, Barrackpore, Dumdum, 24 Parganas, 2 Midnapore, Howrah, and Hooghly.

A hub school will be designated in each district, serving as the main center. Schools within 3.5 to 4 kilometers of the hub school will also be included, with a maximum of seven schools per hub. Currently, the Council has four district-based offices in Burdwan, Midnapore, Kolkata, and North Bengal. Each office will have two deputy secretaries overseeing 30 schools.

A meeting will be held from June 16 to 19, with the Regional Deputy Secretary and the officers responsible for implementing the cluster model. The meeting will detail the functioning of the cluster model. This year, during Class 9 admissions, it was noted that few students enrolled in physics within the commerce and science departments, while there is a significant shortage of language-based teachers.

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