Delhi schools under strain as 44.9 lakh students crowd 5,556 institutions: UDISE+ report

New Delhi: Delhi's school infrastructure is under strain, with 5,556 schools catering to more than 44.9 lakh students, reflecting a high enrolment load per institution, according to a report. With an average enrolment of 808 students per school, the number of school buildings remains relatively low compared to the growing student population, the data compiled in the report showed.

A total of 1,61,958 teachers are deployed across schools, resulting in a pupil-teacher ratio of 28:1, suggesting that while staffing is relatively stable, infrastructure continues to face pressure. According to the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2024-25 report, Delhi has one of the highest enrolment shares relative to the number of schools, indicating overcrowding and an increased load on existing facilities.

A senior official told PTI that the Delhi government has set a target to construct around 50 new school buildings and 8,000 additional classrooms across the national capital in 2026-27. Of the total 5,556 schools, 2,681 are government institutions, indicating that a large number of students rely on public infrastructure. The data further shows that 2,528 schools fall under foundational and preparatory levels, 803 in the middle level and 2,225 in the secondary level.

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In terms of teacher distribution, 26,560 teachers are deployed at the foundational and preparatory levels, 11,564 in the middle level and 1,23,834 in the secondary level. The pupil-teacher ratio varies across levels, standing at 14:1 for foundational, 18:1 for preparatory, 28:1 for middle and 19:1 for secondary classes. The report also stated that 1,089 students are enrolled in single-teacher schools, raising concerns about teacher workload and classroom management.

On the infrastructure front, 4,720 schools have functional girls' washrooms and 4,781 have boys' washrooms. However, digital libraries are available in only 430 schools, while 1,844 feature solar panels. Aadhaar-linked admission totalled 43,11,104 cases.

The gross enrolment ratio shows a higher participation of girls across levels, with 95.7 per cent at the secondary level compared to 88.3 per cent for boys. The ratios are 122 girls to 113 boys at the middle level, 110 girls to 100 boys at the preparatory level and 54 girls to 50 boys at the foundational stage.