**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education (Shri Jayant Chaudhary) to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1453, answered on 09.02.2026. The questions relate to data on school teachers, single-teacher and zero-enrolment schools, student retention rates, infrastructural improvements in schools, and measures to overcome low enrollment. Data pertaining to 2023-24 and 2024-25 are available online.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Teacher and School Statistics (2023-24 to 2024-25):**
* State/UT wise total number of teachers, number of single-teacher schools, and zero-enrolment schools reduced in the year 2024-25 compared to 2023-24, for Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are available at [https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques](https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques)
* **Student Retention and Transition Rates (2023-24 to 2024-25):**
* State/UT wise retention and transition rates at foundational, preparatory, middle, secondary educational stages are available at [https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques](https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques)
* **Infrastructural Improvements & Enrollment Measures:**
* Education is under the concurrent list, States & UTs are supported to strengthen schools via centrally sponsored schemes.
* Support includes infrastructure augmentation (classrooms, toilets, drinking water, electricity, etc.), and ICT & digital classrooms.
* Infrastructure needs are determined annually by each State/UT and reflected in their Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B).
* These plans are appraised/approved by the Project Approval Board (PAB).
* **Central Government Assistance Programs:**
* States/UTs are assisted via Samagra Shiksha and PM POSHAN Yojna.
* Financial assistance is provided to reduce dropout and increase enrollment, including opening/strengthening schools, strengthening infrastructure, setting up residential schools/hostels, transport allowance, enrolment drives, vocational education, free textbooks/uniforms, and aids/appliances for children with special needs.
**Impact Analysis**
**States & UTs**
* **Impact:** Responsible for determining infrastructural needs and priorities. Receive support and financial assistance to improve school infrastructure, teacher availability, and student retention/enrollment.
* **Action Required:** Review relevant data online. Develop and submit Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWP&B) reflecting infrastructure requirements. Implement centrally sponsored schemes and utilize financial assistance to improve educational outcomes.
**Students**
* **Impact:** Beneficiaries of improved school infrastructure, increased teacher availability, and enhanced educational opportunities.
* **Action Required:** None explicitly stated, but implied benefit from the improvements in education.
**Ministry of Education**
* **Impact:** Provides guidance, funding, and oversight for school education programs across the country.
* **Action Required:** Continue to support States and UTs in implementing educational programs and improving school infrastructure. Monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The primary government body responsible for answering the parliamentary question about zero-enrolment schools.
UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus): A key data source cited in the answer regarding school teachers, enrollment, and retention rates.
Samagra Shiksha: A centrally sponsored scheme that supports states and UTs in strengthening government schools and infrastructure.
Maharashtra: One of the specific states for which school teacher details are requested in the question.
Madhya Pradesh: One of the specific states for which school teacher details are requested in the question.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1453
ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026
Data on Zero-Enrolment Schools
1453. Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar:
Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske:
Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde:
Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne:
Smt. Bharti Pardhi:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the total number of school teachers in the country, year-wise and State-wise
particularly in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh;
(b) the data on the reduction of single-teacher schools and zero-enrolment schools including percentage
declines and absolute numbers, State-wise;
(c) the details of the improvements in student retention rates at different educational stages, such as
foundational, preparatory, middle, secondary including the transition rates between levels, as per the
latest report;
(d) the measures taken by the Government in terms of infrastructural improvements, such as digital
infrastructure, sanitary facilities, drinking water and inclusive infrastructure along with the manner in
which these are distributed among rural and urban schools;
(e) whether any monitoring and corrective mechanisms have been implemented for overcoming the
problem of persistently low enrolment and if so, the details thereof along with the timelines fixed for
implementing the same; and
(f) if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) and (b): As per UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus), State/UT wise
including Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh total number of teachers for the year 2023-24 to 2024-25
are available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
As per UDISE+, State/UT wise total number of single teacher schools and zero enrolment
schools reduced in the year 2024-25 as compared to 2023-24 are available at
https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques
(c): As per UDISE+, State/UT wise retention rates and transition rates at different educational stages,
such as foundational, preparatory, middle, secondary for the year 2023-24 to 2024-25 are available at
https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
(d) to (f): Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and most of the schools are under
administrative jurisdiction of concerned States & UTs. Under the Centrally Sponsored schemes like
Samagra Shiksha, STARS and PM Shri, States and UTs are supported for strengthening of existing
government schools, and for creation and augmentation of infrastructure facilities like Additional
Classrooms, Toilets for Boys/Girls/CWSN, Drinking Water, Electricity, Boundary Walls, Library,ICT and Digital Classrooms, based on the gaps determined from Unified District Information System
for Education (UDISE) database and proposals received from respective State/UT. The requirement
of infrastructural facilities in schools is worked out every year by the respective State/Union
Territory on incremental basis depending on their need and priority and reflected in their Annual
Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B). These plans are then appraised and approved/estimated by Project
Approval Board (PAB) in consultation with the States and Union Territories as per the programmatic
and financial norms of the scheme, physical and financial progress of works sanctioned earlier and
availability of budgetary resources.
Also, under Central Government assist States and UTs through the Centrally Sponsored
Scheme of Samagra Shiksha and hot cooked meal provided from Balvatika to class 8 under Pradhan
Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Yojna. Financial assistance/grant is also provided to the
States and UTs including Uttar Pradesh for various activities to reduce dropout and 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/grant is also provided for aids and appliances for children with special
needs.
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