Pithoragarh (Ukd): More than 80 per cent of high schools and intermediate colleges in Uttarakhand are functioning without principals, according to a reply to an RTI application.

The data was provided by the secondary education department in response to the RTI application filed by Pankaj Bhatt, a resident of the Tildhukri area here.

According to the data, 831 of the 910 sanctioned posts of principals are vacant in the state's high schools. Of these sanctioned posts, 753 are for men and 78 for women.

Pauri district tops the list with 109 of the 116 sanctioned posts vacant.

In intermediate colleges, 1,180 of the 1,248 sanctioned posts of principals are vacant. Out of the total sanctioned posts, 1,043 are for men and 97 for women, the data stated.

It showed Tehri district has the highest number of vacancies with 172 of the 183 sanctioned posts vacant.