Context: The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L) released the UDISE+ 2025–26 Report, providing a comprehensive assessment of India’s school education system.
About India’s Changing School Education System: Beyond the Numbers
What It Is?
- The UDISE+ 2025–26 Report presents a data-driven assessment of India’s school education landscape, covering 14.67 lakh schools, 1.03 crore teachers and 24.72 crore students.
Key Findings:
- Improved Teacher Availability: India’s overall Pupil–Teacher Ratio (PTR) is 24:1, within the NEP 2020 benchmark of 30:1. It ranges from 10:1 at Foundational to 21:1 at Secondary level.
- Enrolment & Progression: Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) stands at 89.6% at Middle and 71.7% at Secondary level, indicating improved access but continued scope for expansion at higher stages.
- Better Retention & Transition: Retention stands at 98.5% at Foundational, 91.1% at Preparatory, 83.7% at Middle and 51.9% at Secondary level. Transition to Secondary level is 88.3%.
- Declining Dropouts: Dropout rates have fallen to 1.8% at Preparatory and 7% at Secondary level, though the Middle-stage rate marginally increased to 3.6%.
- Better Resource Utilisation: Single-teacher schools declined by around 3% to 1,00,843, while zero-enrolment schools fell 29% to 5,663, reflecting improved resource allocation.
- Gender & Social Inclusion: Girls constitute 48.4% of enrolment, while women comprise 54.9% of teachers. SC and ST students together account for 27.7% of total enrolment.
- Infrastructure & Digital Expansion: 95% of schools have electricity, 99.5% safe drinking water, 98.5% girls’ toilets and 90.5% libraries. Computer access has reached 69.9%, while 67.4% have internet connectivity.
Significance:
- Evidence-Based Education Governance: UDISE+ provides granular data for planning, resource allocation and monitoring implementation of NEP 2020.
- Improved Access & Inclusion: Better retention, gender participation and infrastructure indicate progress towards equitable and inclusive school education.
- Digital & Human Capital Development: Growing digital connectivity and teacher availability strengthen learning environments and support India’s long-term human capital formation.
Relevance in UPSC Examination:
- GS Paper II – Governance & Social Justice:
- Issues relating to development and management of education and human resources; government policies and interventions in the education sector.
- GS Paper III – Inclusive Growth:
- Human capital development, digital infrastructure and equitable access to development opportunities.
- Essay:
- Education, human capital, social empowerment, gender equality, digital transformation and inclusive development.
