Executive Summary:
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 161 regarding schools under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, answered on July 21, 2025. It provides data on the number of schools, school closures, teacher vacancies, and steps taken to address Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, which subsumed the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in 2018-19. The data includes specific figures for India and Uttar Pradesh.
Key Points / Main Content:
Samagra Shiksha Scheme:
* The Department of School Education and Literacy launched the integrated Samagra Shiksha scheme in 2018-19, replacing the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), and Teacher Education schemes.
* The scheme aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aiming for equitable and inclusive quality education.
School Statistics (UDISE 2023-24 Data):
* India: 1,017,660 Primary, 623,026 Higher Primary, 53,206 Secondary, and 69,041 Higher Secondary Government schools.
* Uttar Pradesh: 87,777 Primary, 46,484 Higher Primary, 1,523 Secondary, and 1,318 Higher Secondary Government schools, totaling 137,102 schools.
School Openings and Closures:
* The opening and closing of schools fall under the jurisdiction of State Governments and UT Administrations.
* The need for new schools or upgrading existing ones is determined annually by the respective State/UT based on their needs and priorities.
* There has been a fluctuation in the total number of government schools in India and Uttar Pradesh between 2017-18 and 2023-24, as per UDISE reports.
Teacher Recruitment and Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR):
* Recruitment, service conditions, and deployment of teachers are under the purview of State Governments and UT Administrations.
* Teacher recruitment is a continuous process due to vacancies from retirement, resignation, and increased student enrollment.
* The Central Government provides financial assistance through Samagra Shiksha to maintain appropriate PTR as per the RTE Act, 2009.
* The Department of School Education and Literacy regularly requests State Governments and UT administrations to fill vacancies and ensure rational teacher deployment.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments and UT Administrations:
* Impact: Responsible for the administration, opening/closing of schools, teacher recruitment, and ensuring appropriate PTR.
* Action Required: To plan and execute teacher recruitment, manage school infrastructure, and maintain PTR as per RTE Act norms.
Teachers:
* Impact: Subject to recruitment processes, service conditions, and deployment policies determined by State Governments and UT Administrations.
* Action Required: To participate in recruitment processes and fulfill their duties upon employment.
Students:
* Impact: Affected by the availability of schools, quality of education, and the PTR.
* Action Required: To actively participate in the learning process.
Central Government (Ministry of Education):
* Impact: Provides financial assistance and oversees the implementation of the Samagra Shiksha scheme and adherence to RTE Act norms.
* Action Required: To continue providing financial support and monitor the progress of States and UTs in achieving educational goals.
Key Entities Referenced
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: A centrally sponsored scheme of the Government of India aimed at universalizing elementary education.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India, specifically mentioned in relation to the number of schools and teacher vacancies under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
National Education Policy NEP 2020: A policy document outlining the vision and framework for education in India.
Samagra Shiksha: An integrated centrally sponsored scheme for school education, subsuming Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and Teacher Education.
Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan RMSA: A centrally sponsored scheme of the Government of India for the development of secondary education.
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education RTE Act, 2009: An Act of the Parliament of India that guarantees free and compulsory education to all children aged 6-14 years.
Ministry of Education: The government ministry responsible for education in India.
UDISE: Unified District Information System for Education, a system for collecting data on school education in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 161
ANSWERED ON- 21.07.2025
Schools under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
†161 Shri Dharmendra Yadav:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the number of primary schools, higher primary schools, secondary and higher secondary schools
being run under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan in the country, especially in Uttar Pradesh;
(b) the number of such schools closed down during the last seven years along with the reasons
therefor;
(c) the total number of posts of teachers lying vacant at present under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in
the country, especially in Uttar Pradesh;
(d) the steps being taken by the Government in collaboration with State Governments to expedite the
process of recruitment of qualified teachers to fulfill the criteria regarding the Pupil-Teacher Ratio
(PTR) stipulated by RTE Act;
(e) whether the problem of adverse PTR is persisting due to inequitable deployment of teachers
despite the availability of adequate number of teachers; and
(f) if so, the corrective measures taken in this regard?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) The Department of School and Literacy has launched an integrated Centrally Sponsored
Scheme for School Education – Samagra Shiksha with effect from 2018-19. The scheme has
been formed subsuming the three erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education. The
Scheme is aligned with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and
aims to ensure that all children have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive
classroom environment, which takes care of their diverse background, multilingual needs,
different academic abilities and makes them active participants in the learning process.
As per UDISE+ 2023-24, the total number of Primary, Higher Primary, Secondary and
Higher Secondary Government schools in the country including state of Uttar Pradesh are as
follows:
India
Type Total Primary Higher Secondary Higher
Primary Secondary
Government 1017660 623026 272387 53206 69041Uttar Pradesh
Type Total Primary Higher Secondary Higher
Primary Secondary
Government 137102 87777 46484 1523 1318
(b) Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and majority of schools come under
the administrative domain/jurisdiction of the respective State Government and Union
Territory Administration. The opening & closing of schools come under the purview of
respective State Government and UT Administration. The requirement of opening of new
schools/upgradation/strengthening of existing schools is worked out every year by the
respective State/Union Territory depending on their need and priority.
As per UDISE, UDISE+ Reports the total number of Government schools in the
country and Uttar Pradesh in the last seven years is as follows:
Total Number of Government Schools
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
India 1094543 1083747 1032570 1032049 1022386 1016010 1017660
Uttar
Pradesh 163114 163142 137638 137068 137024 137003 137102
(c) to (f) Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and the recruitment, service
conditions and rational deployment of teachers come under the purview of respective State
Government and UT Administration. Recruitment of teachers in schools is a continuous
process as vacancies keep arising due to factors like retirement, resignation and additional
requirements on account of enhanced students’ strength/new schools. The onus of recruitment
of teachers through a comprehensive technology-based planning and forecasting exercise lies
on the respective State Government/Union Territory administration.
The Central Government through the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra
Shiksha, provides financial assistance to the States and UTs to maintain appropriate Pupil-
Teacher Ratio (PTR) for various levels of schooling, as per norms prescribed in the Right of
Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, as amended from time to time.
The Department of School Education and Literacy, from time to time, through review
meetings and advisories, requests the State Governments and UT administrations to fill up
these vacancies and their rational deployment.
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