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Karnataka Colleges Face Librarian Crisis
27 Sep
Summary
- 201 government colleges lack librarians, impacting student research.
- 5,202 physical instructor posts vacant in government schools.
- Recruitment for librarians and PE teachers has been frozen for years.
Government educational institutions across Karnataka are experiencing a critical shortage of librarians and physical education teachers, impacting student learning and development. As of 2026, 201 out of 440 government first-grade colleges lack essential librarian services. This deficit hinders students' research, project work, and access to digital resources, with teaching staff often burdened with library management.
The scarcity is more severe in polytechnics, with 97 librarian vacancies since 1998. State universities have also faced recruitment gaps since 2008. Similarly, physical education is neglected, with 5,202 instructor posts vacant in government schools, with no recruitment for nearly a decade.
This ongoing crisis limits students' structured coaching, fitness training, and sports guidance. The introduction of physical education and health into the curriculum has widened the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application due to the absence of qualified instructors. Protests have been staged seeking immediate recruitment.
