'There are lots of vacancies and the government has not filled those seats. Instead many para-teachers have been appointed who are in most of the cases untrained. They work at a very low salary and the motivational level is real low,' Mishra told IANS over telephone from Bhubaneswar.

Sandeepan Das, a para-teacher in Cuttack, said it is not always possible for teachers to give their best when they find it tough to take care of their family's needs.

'When the salary is low, you cannot keep your promise high always. The government pays less than Rs.2,000 and with that I have to take care of my five-member family. How can you even expect me to give my best when the compensation is so low,' Das said.

'Under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, the government promises to universalise education but there is some problem in the intention. They are appointing teachers on a three-month contract. Who wants to give their best under such conditions? The salary is just Rs.5,000,' said a woman teacher, who is works in a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) school.

'Teachers with the same qualification as mine are getting double my salary. Then why do SSA teachers get so little and why do their contracts expire every three months? They ask us not to come for two days after the completion of 90 days. After that they renew or reject the contract. I am young and want to teach, but how long can one work with commitment?' she said while requesting anonymity.

Besides schools, higher education also faces a similar situation. Majority of the universities, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are facing up to 20 percent vacancy in teaching posts.

'There is a problem getting quality teachers. We are now giving a special fellowship to attract young teachers, bright young professionals,' M. Balakrishnan, dean of postgraduate studies at IIT-Delhi, told IANS.

IIT teachers across the country had protested and taken mass casual leave last month to highlight their plight.

'We have a problem of quality teachers and unless the government takes care of IIT teachers, it will be difficult to attract new teachers,' said Hem Chandra Gupta, professor of Physics at IIT-Delhi.