Parliament Question: Closer / merger of schools

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO – 509 ANSWERED ON 04/02/2026 Closer / merger of schools 509 Shri Javed Ali Khan: Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state: (a) the number of primary, secondary and higher secondary Government schools which have been closed or merged during last three years and the current year, till date, State-wise details thereof; (b) whether huge shortage of teachers at primary, secondary and higher secondary levels Government schools has compelled Government to close or merge Government schools; (c) if so, the details thereof; (d) if not, the reasons for large scale closure and merger of Government schools in the country; and (e) the steps taken by Government to stop this trend of closure and merger of schools? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) to (e): Education is in the Concurrent list of the Constitution and the opening, closing and rationalisation of schools are within the purview of respective State Government and UT Administration. As per UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus), State/UT wise number of primary, secondary and higher secondary Government schools with number of teachers from the year 2022-23 to 2024-25 is available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques. Strengthening of teacher training/education programmes is supported under the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha in alignment with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. The interventions under Samagra Shiksha are aimed at strengthening of physical infrastructure in Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs); support to State Councils of Educational Research and Trainings (SCERTs) so that they can effectively and efficiently carry out quality teacher education, research and develop state-specific curriculum framework, as a follow up to the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF SE); capacity building of District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) functionaries; continuous academic support to schools through BRC/CRC etc. As per the data available on UDISE+, advancements have been made in improving universal access across all levels of school education. This is evidenced by Gross Access Ratio (GAR) for 2018-19 and 2024-25: Year Primary Upper Primary Secondary Higher Secondary 2018-19 97.15 96.49 88.24 65.05 2024-25 97.83 96.57 95.35 94.97 GAR: Gross access ratio (GAR) is total villages/habitations having school within specified norm in a year out of total villages/habitations in that year.Also, Central Government assist States and UTs through the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha and Mid-Day Meal provided from Balvatika to class 8 under Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Yojna. Financial assistance is also provided to the States and UTs for various activities to increase enrolment in Government schools, which include opening/strengthening of new schools up to senior secondary level, strengthening school infrastructure, setting up and up gradation and running of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) upto class 12, setting up of residential schools/hostels named Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas, hostels under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA), transport allowance, undertaking enrolment drives, seasonal hostels/residential camps, provision of vocational education and ICT facilities in schools, providing free text books and free uniform, transport/escort facility, etc, financial assistance is also provided for aids and appliances for children with special needs. PM SHRI Scheme has also been launched with an aim to develop more than 14,500 selected schools as exemplar schools that offer leadership to other schools in the neighbourhood, showcasing all the initiatives of NEP 2020. ******