India's School Enrolment Declines by 11 Lakh in a Year, Despite Other Gains in Education Sector

India's school enrolment has seen a significant decline, dropping from 24.80 crore in 2023-24 to 24.69 crore in 2024-25, a loss of over 11 lakh students, according to the Unified District Information System for Plus (UDISE+) report. This downward trend continues, following a decline of approximately 37 lakh students in the 2023-24 academic year. Despite this dip, the report highlights notable gains in other areas of school education, including improved teacher strength, pupil-teacher ratios, reduced dropout rates, and increased digital access.

Key Takeaways:

• The decline in school enrolment is largely attributed to the country's demographic shift, with a declining fertility rate contributing to the drop.
• The number of teachers has surpassed the one crore mark, rising to 1.01 crore in 2024-25, leading to improved pupil-teacher ratios across levels.
• Dropout rates have declined significantly, falling to 2.3% at the preparatory stage, 3.5% at middle, and 8.2% at secondary.
• Retention rates have improved, with slight increases across levels, but secondary retention remains a concern at 47.2%.
• Infrastructure and digital facilities have seen notable progress, with 64.7% of schools now having computers and 63.5% with internet connectivity.
• Basic facilities have also improved, with electricity in 93.6% of schools, girls' toilets in 97.3%, and access to safe drinking water in 99.3%.
• The number of single-teacher schools has reduced by 6%, and zero-enrolment schools by nearly 38%.

Statistics:

• The decline in school enrolment is approximately 11 lakh students, shifting from 24.80 crore in 2023-24 to 24.69 crore in 2024-25.
• The number of teachers has risen to 1.01 crore in 2024-25, a 3 lakh increase from 2023-24.
• Pupil-teacher ratios at various levels are:

+ Foundational: 10

+ Preparatory: 13

+ Middle: 17

+ Secondary: 21

• Dropout rates for various levels are:

+ Preparatory: 2.3%

+ Middle: 3.5%

+ Secondary: 8.2%

• Retention rates across levels are:

+ Primary: 95.6% (2023-24) → 95.7% (2024-25)

+ Upper Primary: 92.3% (2023-24) → 92.4% (2024-25)

+ Secondary: 47.2% (2023-24) → 47.5% (2024-25)

• The number of schools with:

+ Computers: 64.7% (2023-24) → 64.7% (2024-25)

+ Internet connectivity: 63.5% (2023-24) → 63.5% (2024-25)

Sources:

• Unified District Information System for Plus (UDISE+) report
• (ANI)
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