**Executive Summary**
This document presents the review of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) based on the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE +) 2024-25. It highlights improvements in key educational indicators, changes in enrolment ratios, dropout rates, and improvements in global rankings. The document answers questions submitted to the Ministry of Education regarding the NEP's impact.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Overall Educational Improvements:**
* Measurable improvements in key educational indicators have been observed across India's school education system.
* **School Statistics:**
* Data covers approximately 14.72 lakh schools and 24.7 Crore students from foundational to secondary levels.
* **Teacher Statistics:**
* The number of teachers increased from 98.07 lakh to 1.01 crore, with 54.82 lakh being female teachers.
* **Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR):**
* Improved PTR at all levels (10 at foundational, 13 at preparatory, 17 at middle, and 21 at secondary).
* Ratios are stronger than the NEP norm of 1:30.
* **Dropout Rates (Academic Year 2024–25):**
* Notable reduction in dropout rates at the Preparatory (from 3.7% to 2.3%), Middle (from 5.2% to 3.5%), and Secondary levels (from 10.9% to 8.2%).
* **Student Retention (2024–25):**
* Improved retention across all levels, including foundational (98.0% to 98.9%), preparatory (85.4% to 92.4%), middle (78.0% to 82.8%), and secondary (45.6% to 47.2%).
* **Gross Enrolment Ratio (2024–25):**
* Increased at the middle (89.5% to 90.3%) and secondary levels (66.5% to 68.5%).
* **Performance Grading Index (PGI):**
* The Department of School Education & Literacy has developed PGI using 73 indicators.
* PGI-State reports for 2017-18 to 2023-24 available at <https://pgi.udiseplus.gov.in/#/statepgi/home>.
* PGI-District reports for 2018-19 to 2023-24 can be accessed at <https://dpgi.udiseplus.gov.in/#aboutPgi> .
* **PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024:**
* Conducted nationwide on 04.12.2024.
* Involved over 21.15 lakh students and 2.70 lakh teachers across 781 districts.
* National, State and District level report cards are available at <https://dashboard.parakh.ncert.gov.in/en>.
* **All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE):**
* AISHE 2022–23 reports an increase in University / University Level Institutions and Colleges.
* Higher education enrolment increased from 3.42 crore (2014-15) to 4.46 crore (2022-23), with female enrolment rising from 1.57 crore to 2.18 crore.
* Increased enrolment of SC and ST students.
* The number of faculty has also increased from 14.73 lakh in 2014-15 to 16.64 lakh in 2022-23.
* Overall GER improved from 23.7 (2014-15) to 29.5 (2022-23).
* **Global Rankings:**
* India's standing in global rankings has significantly improved.
* 54 Indian HEIs featured in the QS Rankings 2026.
* India's ranking in the Global Innovation Index (GII) has improved.
* **Responsibilities:**
* Centre and States are equally responsible for providing quality education.
* **Initiatives:**
* Ministry of Education, State Governments, education-related Ministries, the regulatory and implementing bodies etc. have taken initiatives for implementation of NEP 2020.
**Impact Analysis**
**Students**
* **Impact:** Improved learning outcomes, increased retention rates, enhanced access to education, and increased participation in higher grades.
* **Action Required:** Continue to participate in educational initiatives and strive for academic excellence.
**Teachers**
* **Impact:** Larger workforce, improved pupil-teacher ratio, and enhanced focus on individual student needs.
* **Action Required:** Adapt to new teaching methodologies and focus on improving student learning outcomes.
**Educational Institutions (Schools, Colleges, Universities)**
* **Impact:** Increased enrolment, improved infrastructure and facilities, and enhanced access to resources.
* **Action Required:** Implement NEP 2020 guidelines, participate in surveys and assessments, and focus on quality education.
**Government (Central and State)**
* **Impact:** Enhanced educational indicators, improved global rankings, and increased student participation.
* **Action Required:** Continue to support and implement NEP 2020, allocate resources effectively, and monitor progress.
Key Entities Referenced
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A comprehensive policy framework to guide the development of education in the country.
Ministry of Education: The central ministry responsible for education in India.
Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE +): A system used to collect data on school education across India.
PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan: A nationwide survey conducted to assess the baseline performance of students in key competencies.
All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE): An annual web-based survey collecting comprehensive data on higher education in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1418
ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026
Review of Implementation of National Education Policy
†1418. Dr. Anand Kumar:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has conducted any study or review to assess the implementation of
the National Education Policy (NEP) and its academic, social and regional impacts;
(b) if so, the key findings of the said study/report along with the corrective measures taken so far,
based thereon; and
(c) if not, whether the Government proposes to conduct a comprehensive impact assessment of
the NEP and make necessary amendments or policy reforms based on its findings?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a) to (c): According to Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE +) 2024-
25, India’s school education system saw measurable improvements across key educational
indicators. It has data with nearly 14.72 lakh schools and nearly 24.7 Crore students from
Foundational to Secondary level from varied socio-economic backgrounds. The number of
teachers increased from 98.07 lakh to 1.01 crore, with total 54.82 lakh female teachers, reflecting
a more gender-balanced workforce. The Pupil Teacher Ratio improved at all levels in 2024–25.
The ratios now stand at 10 at the foundational level, 13 at the preparatory level, 17 at the middle
level, and 21 at the secondary level. These ratios are stronger than the NEP norm of 1:30,
supporting closer attention to each student and better learning outcomes. The academic year 2024–
25 has seen a notable reduction in dropout rates across the Preparatory (from 3.7% to 2.3%),
Middle (from 5.2% to 3.5%), and Secondary levels (from 10.9% to 8.2%) as compared to 2023-
24. Student retention improved across all levels in 2024–25. The foundational level increased from
98.0 percent to 98.9 percent. The preparatory level increased from 85.4 percent to 92.4 percent.
The middle level increased from 78.0 percent to 82.8 percent. The secondary level increased from
45.6 percent to 47.2 percent. The academic year 2024–25 recorded an increase in the Gross
Enrolment Ratio at the middle and secondary levels. The middle level rose from 89.5 percent to
90.3 percent. The secondary level rose from 66.5 percent to 68.5 percent. This growth reflects
enhanced access to education and increased student participation in higher grades.
Department of School Education & Literacy has developed Performance Grading Index, State
(PGI) by combining 73 indicators from various domains of school education viz., learningoutcomes, access outcomes, infrastructure, facilities, equity outcomes, etc. The PGI-State reports
for the year from 2017-18 to 2023-24 can be accessed at
https://pgi.udiseplus.gov.in/#/statepgi/home. Similarly, Performance Grading Index, District is a
district-level assessment tool which is used to compare and improve school education outcomes
in a decentralized manner. It covers outcomes, classroom processes, infrastructure, safety, digital
learning, and governance. The PGI-District reports for the year from 2018-19 to 2023-24 can be
accessed at https://dpgi.udiseplus.gov.in/#aboutPgi .
“PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024” was conducted across India on 04.12.2024, to
understand the baseline performance in development of competencies among the students at the
end of the Foundational, Preparatory, and Middle stages (Grades 3, 6, and 9 respectively).
Nationwide over 21.15 lakh students and 2.70 lakh teachers from more than 74,229 schools
across 781 districts from all States/UTs participated in the survey. National, State and District
level report cards for PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 are available at
https://dashboard.parakh.ncert.gov.in/en.
In higher education, an annual web based ‘All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)’ is a
comprehensive data source on higher education. AISHE 2022–23 (provisional) reports rise in
number of University / University Level Institutions and Colleges from 760 to 1213 and from
38498 to 46624 respectively, as compared to AISHE 2014-15. Enrolment in higher education
has risen from 3.42 crore in 2014-15 to 4.46 crore in 2022-23, with female enrolment from 1.57
crore to 2.18 crore. The enrolment of SC students is 69.13 Lakh in 2022-23 as compared to 46.07
Lakh in 2014.15. The enrolment of ST students has increased to 28.72 Lakh in 2022-23 from
16.41 Lakh in 2014-15. Total STEM enrolment stands at 99.76 lakh. Number of faculty has also
increased from 14.73 lakh in 2014-15 to 16.64 lakh in 2022-23, with number of female faculty
increased from 5.7 lakh to 7.36 lakh. Overall GER has improved from 23.7 in 2014-15 to 29.5 in
2022-23.
India’s standing in global rankings has significantly improved, with 54 Indian HEIs featured in
the QS Rankings 2026, as compared to 11 in 2015. In QS Subject Rankings for 2025 included
79 Indian HEIs, an increase of 10 from the previous year's 69. As per QS Asia ranking 2026, 294
Indian Higher Education Institutions features.
Focus of NEP on research and innovation has propelled India’s ranking in the Global Innovation
Index (GII) from 48 in 2020 and currently being ranked at 38th place in 2025.
Education being in the concurrent list of Constitution, Centre and States are equally responsible
for providing quality education to all. Accordingly, Ministry of Education, State Governments,
education-related Ministries, the regulatory and implementing bodies of school and higher
education such as University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education,
National Council for Teacher Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training,
Central Board of Secondary Education, Universities/Colleges/Schools etc. have taken initiatives
for implementation of NEP 2020.
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