UDISE+ 2024: School enrollment drops by 11 lakh with secondary retention at 47%; teachers cross 1 crore

India’s school enrolment has dropped by over 11 lakh in a year, slipping from 24.80 crore in 2023–24 to 24.69 crore in 2024–25, the latest Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2024-25 report published by the ministry of education revealed.

The UDISE+ report showed steady improvement in pupil-teacher ratios (PTR), lower dropout rates, and wider digital access in schools compared to previous academic cycles. However, it raises concerns over drop in overall enrolment, low retention at secondary stage, and persistent teacher vacancies.

1 crore teachers in India

“For the first time in any academic year, since the beginning of UDISE +, the total number of teachers has crossed the 1 crore mark in 2024–25. The increase in teacher numbers is a critical step toward improving student-teacher ratios, ensuring quality education, and addressing regional disparities in teacher availability,” the report stated.

Out of 1 crore teachers in 2024–25, around 23.7 lakh (23.4%) teach at the foundational and preparatory levels, 28.9 lakh (28.6%) at the middle level, and the largest share – 48.6 lakh (48%) – at the secondary level.

The report showed that the Indian school education system has been steadily improving since 2022-23. There was a rise of 6.7% of teachers during the reporting year as compared to the last three years, it said.

Contrary to this, the recent Parliamentary Standing Committee report warned about alarming 30–50% vacancies in central government schools like Kendriya Vidyalayas Sangathan (KVS) and Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS). Noting the increasing shortage of teachers in the country, the panel also said around 10 lakh teaching posts remain vacant in Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)-funded schools, including around 7.5 lakh at the elementary and primary levels.

Pupil-teacher ratio declines

The UDISE+ 2024–25 data shows an overall improvement in pupil-teacher ratio across stages of school education, with the numbers now at 10 for foundational stage, 12 for preparatory, 17 for middle, and 21 for secondary. Notably, the middle-level PTR ratio has declined by one point — from 18 in 2023-24 to 17 in 2024-25.

However, the ministry claimed that these ratios are well within the benchmark set by the National Education Policy of 30:1.

Also read Over 5,000 teaching vacancies, 2,000 unfilled reserved posts in central universities: Education ministry

Secondary retention remains low

The report showed a decrease in the dropout rates in 2024-25 – preparatory down to 2.3% from 3.7%, middle to 3.5% from 5.2%, and secondary to 8.2% from 10.9% in the previous year. This marks a steady improvement in student retention over the last two years, the ministry said.

Despite some improvement, retention at the secondary level remains worryingly low at 47.2% in 2024–25. While the preparatory level recorded 8 percentage point jump, the secondary only improved by 1.6 points.

However, the ministry highlighted the rise in secondary-level retention from 45.6% to 47.2% as an improvement, attributing the 1.6-point gain to an increase in the number of schools offering higher secondary education.

“This expansion has enhanced accessibility and encouraged continued enrollment. Overall, the rising retention rates are a strong indicator of progress in the education system and reflect the impact of targeted interventions,” the ministry said.

The Gross Enrolment Ration (GER) rose at both middle and secondary level to 90.3% and 68.5% respectively, according to the UDISE+ report. The number of single-teacher schools dropped by around 6% to 1.04 lakh, while zero-enrolment schools fell sharply by 38% to 7,993.

The report also highlighted the digital push under the NEP 2020 policy. Schools with computers rose to 64.7% from 57.2%, and those with internet access to 63.5% from 53.9%, reflecting improved connectivity and access to the internet.