UDISE Plus 2025-26: Number of school teachers rises, 54.9% female; dropout rates fall

There was an increase of 8.3% in the number of school teachers in 2025-26 as compared to 2022-23, taking the total number past the 1-crore mark, according to the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2025-26 report released by the ministry of education.

The UDISE+ data on education shows a rise in the number of school teachers in India over four years. The data tells us that India had approximately 94,83,294 teachers in 2022-23, followed by a slight increase to 98,07,600 in 2023-24.

The teachers continued to grow in 2024-25 with 1,01,22,420 numbers, and notably, the number rose further to 1,02,73,020 in 2025-26, the report read.

Overall, the slow-pace year-on-year increase reflects that around 3 to 4 lakh teachers were added annually.

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Fall in student dropout rates in preparatory, secondary levels

Moreover, the UDISE+ report also reflects that there has been a significant reduction in the dropout rates across preparatory and secondary levels as compared to the last years.

The data show that there is a dropout rate from 2.3% in 2024-25 to 1.8% in 2025-26 at the preparatory level, while there is a decline from 8.2% to 7.0% at the secondary level.

There has also been an increase in the number of female teachers , amounting to 54.9% of the total teaching workforce.

“Female representation in schools has shown a positive trend in the academic year 2025–26, with girls’ enrolment reaching 48.4% in 2025-26, up from 48.3% in 2024-25,” the report read.

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Increase in student participation at higher levels

“This downward trend highlights improved student retention and reflects the success of initiatives aimed at keeping children engaged in their education. The consistent decrease across all levels suggests that schools are becoming more supportive and responsive to students’ needs,” the report read.

Furthermore, there has been a strong increase in the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the secondary level during the academic year 2025–26. The GER at the secondary level increased from 68.5% in 2024- 25 to 71.7% in 2025-26.

“This growth reflects enhanced access to education and increased student participation at higher levels. The steady rise in GER is a positive indicator of progress towards broader educational inclusion and retention at critical transition points in the school system,” it said.

The report further showed that there is an increase in the student retention rate at the middle and secondary level from 82.8% to 83.7% and 47.2% to 51.9% respectively.

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Schools having zero enrolment decline by 29%

Therefore, the rising retention rates are a strong indicator of progress in the education system and reflect the impact of targeted interventions, the report stated.

The single teacher schools in India have also seen a reduction of 3% in 2025-26 in comparison with the previous year. Similarly, the number of schools having zero enrolment showed a decline of around 29%.

In the infrastructure criteria, the report shows an increase in school infrastructure , especially in the digital facility area. “There is an increase in the number of schools with computer access, increasing from 64.7% in 2024-25 to 69.9% in 2025-26,” the report added.

Most importantly, 95% of schools have access to electricity, 98.5% have girls’ toilets, and 97.2% have boys’ toilets, as per the report.