Himachal Pradesh News
800 Himachal Pradesh Schools Without Principals Despite 780 Promotions, Posting Delayed Till March
In a worrying development for school education in Himachal Pradesh, nearly 800 government senior secondary schools are still operating without regular principals — even though 780 headmasters and lecturers were promoted to the post in December 2025.
In a worrying development for school education in Himachal Pradesh, nearly 800 government senior secondary schools are still operating without regular principals — even though 780 headmasters and lecturers were promoted to the post in December 2025.
The situation has left teachers, students, and administrators confused as the newly promoted principals are yet to receive their official postings.
According to Education Minister Rohit Thakur, the government plans to allot stations to the promoted principals in March. “These schools will have regular principals before the new academic session begins in April,” he assured.
Why the Delay?
Officials in the Education Department claim the postings were deliberately withheld to avoid disruption during the ongoing academic session. A large-scale transfer of lecturers and headmasters, they argue, could have impacted classroom teaching and administrative stability.
However, not everyone is convinced.
Several principals and teachers believe the delay is linked to behind-the-scenes lobbying for preferred postings. One principal questioned the timing:
“If the government wanted to avoid disturbing the academic session, why were the promotions announced in December? They could have waited until March.”
Another senior educator suggested that political pressure and competition for desired stations may be contributing to the hold-up.
Schools Running Without Leadership for Years
For many institutions, this is not a short-term issue. Some schools have reportedly been without regular principals for two to three years. Teachers say the absence of a permanent head creates administrative bottlenecks, directly affecting teaching quality and student management.
The situation becomes even more critical for schools shifting to Central Board of Secondary Education affiliation from the upcoming session. Transitioning to CBSE requires significant administrative preparation — something difficult to manage without a regular principal.
“There is already a heavy workload due to CBSE requirements. Without a full-time principal, handling it will be extremely challenging,” said a teacher.
Promotions Without Posting — And Even Retirement
Adding to the irony, some of the promoted principals retired in December and January without serving even a single day in their new role. Meanwhile, all promoted officials are reportedly drawing higher salaries while continuing in their previous positions.
Many educators feel the promotions could have been better timed.
With the new academic session approaching, thousands of students and teachers across Himachal Pradesh now wait for clarity. Whether the promised March postings will resolve the long-standing leadership vacuum remains to be seen.
For now, 800 schools continue to function without the guiding hand of a regular principal — raising larger questions about administrative planning in the state’s education system.
