**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1405, answered on February 9, 2026, regarding declining enrollment in Government schools. The Minister of State in the Ministry of Education addresses concerns about school closures, enrollment numbers, interstate variations, factors influencing the shift to private schools, and school inspections. The document highlights the role of States/UTs in education management and outlines government initiatives to improve the quality of education.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **State/UT Authority in Education:**
* Education is primarily managed by individual States and Union Territories.
* Decisions about opening, closing, and consolidating schools are within the purview of State Government and UT Administration.
* **Enrollment Data:**
* State/UT-wise data on government school numbers and enrollment, disaggregated by gender, is available from 2015-16 to 2024-25 via UDISE+ at: https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
* District-wise enrollment data for Andhra Pradesh from 2023-24 to 2024-25 is also available at the same link.
* **Samagra Shiksha Initiatives:**
* Samagra Shiksha focuses on improving the quality of education through various interventions including:
* In-service teacher training and school head training.
* State and national-level achievement surveys.
* School grants for learning environments, libraries, sports, and physical activities.
* Support for Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, ICT, and digital initiatives.
* School Leadership Development Program.
* Remedial teaching for academically weaker students.
* Support for Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat, etc.
* **Central Government Assistance:**
* The Central Government supports States and UTs through Samagra Shiksha and the PM Poshan Yojana.
* Financial assistance is provided for activities that reduce dropouts and increase enrollment, including:
* Opening/strengthening of new schools.
* Improving school infrastructure.
* Residential schools/hostels (KGBV and others).
* Transport allowance and enrolment drives.
* Vocational education and ICT facilities.
* Free textbooks and uniforms.
* Support for children with special needs.
* **Social Audit Monitoring:**
* The Programme Approval Board (PAB) of PM Poshan monitors social audits conducted by States/UTs.
* PAB approves State/UT proposals for social audits and advises on annual activity calendars.
* Social audit expenditures are met through the Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (MME) component of the scheme.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: State Governments and UT Administrations**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the administration of schools and the implementation of educational programs and initiatives. Expected to utilize central funding effectively to improve education quality, reduce dropouts, and increase enrollment.
* **Action Required:** Ensure accurate data reporting through UDISE+, implement Samagra Shiksha and PM Poshan programs effectively, conduct and monitor social audits, and draw annual activity calendars for social audits.
**Stakeholder: Students and Parents**
* **Impact:** Benefit from improved school facilities, better teaching quality, access to free resources, and enhanced learning environments.
* **Action Required:** Engage with school programs and activities to maximize the benefits offered.
**Stakeholder: Teachers and School Heads**
* **Impact:** Receive in-service training and support to improve teaching quality and school management. Have access to resources and grants for school improvement.
* **Action Required:** Participate in training programs, implement best practices, and effectively utilize available resources.
**Stakeholder: Central Government (Ministry of Education)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for providing guidance, financial assistance, and monitoring the implementation of educational programs in States and UTs.
* **Action Required:** Continue to support States and UTs through financial assistance and policy guidance, monitor the effectiveness of programs, and ensure accountability through social audits.
Key Entities Referenced
Samagra Shiksha: A centrally sponsored scheme focusing on improving the quality of education by providing support for interventions in all States and UTs.
PM POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) Yojna: A centrally sponsored scheme providing hot cooked meals from Balvatika to class 8.
UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus): A system used to gather data on State/UT wise number of government schools and enrollment.
Ministry of Education: The government ministry responsible for education-related matters addressed in the parliamentary question.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India specifically mentioned in the context of district-wise enrollment data in Government schools.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1405
ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026
Declining Enrolment in Government Schools
1405. Dr. Byreddy Shabari:
Dr. Gumma Thanuja Rani:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the number of Government schools presently operational along with details of new schools
established and schools closed, merged or consolidated across the country during the last ten years,
year-wise and State/UT-wise, including reasons for closures or mergers;
(b) the number of students enrolled in Government schools across the country during the last ten years,
year-wise and State/UT-wise, and gender-wise;
(c) whether the Government has observed any significant inter-State variations or year-wise decline in
enrolment in Government schools across the country during the said period and if so, the details thereof,
State/UT-wise including district-wise in Andhra Pradesh;
(d) the key factors responsible for migration of students to private schools along with the corrective
measures being implemented jointly by the Centre and the States to strengthen public schooling; and
(e) whether the Government is aware that inspections, audits and quality assessments of all Government
schools are not conducted regularly or comprehensively, if so, whether it proposes to ensure time-bound
inspections and audits of all schools on a mission-mode basis with 100 per cent coverage, including the
roadmap, timelines and monitoring mechanisms proposed and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (e): Education being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, an overwhelming
majority of the schools in the country comes under the administrative control of States/UTs. 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 government schools and enrolment in these schools
gender wise from the year 2015-16 to 2024-25 is available at
https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
As per UDISE+, district wise enrolment in Government schools in Andhra Pradesh for the
year 2023-24 to 2024-25 is available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
Samagra Shiksha focuses on improvement in quality of education by providing support for
different interventions to all States and UTs, like in-service training of teachers and school heads,
conduct of achievement surveys at state and national level, composite school grant to every school for
providing a conducive learning environment, grants for library, sports and physical activities, support
for Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, ICT and digital initiatives, School Leadership development
programme, remedial teaching for academically weaker students, support for Padhe Bharat Badhe
Bharat, etc.Also, 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.
Programme Approval Board (PAB) of PM Poshan under the Chairpersonship of Secretary
(DoSE&L) monitor the social audits conducted by each State/ UT in previous financial year and also
approve the proposals of States/ UTs to conduct social audits in the current financial year as per the
PM Poshan Guidelines. PAB also advise the States/ UTs to draw annual calendar of activities to
conduct the Social Audit and share the Social Audit report and action taken report. Expenditures on
Social Audit are met from the Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (MME) component of the
Scheme.
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