**Executive Summary**
This document pertains to Starred Question No. 15 in the Lok Sabha, answered on December 1, 2025, regarding zero student enrolment in schools. It provides information requested by Members of Parliament Shri Karti P Chidambaram and Shri Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. The Minister of Education provides data links and information regarding government school enrolment, expenditures, closures, and audit reports.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Data Availability:**
* State/UT-wise data on government schools with less than ten or zero student enrolment, including the number of teachers, is available for the period 2022-23 to 2024-25 at [https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl\_ques](https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques).
* Year-wise number of Government schools in States/UTs from the year 2019-20 to 2024-25 is available at [https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl\_ques](https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques).
* Requisite data for the year 2024-25 is available at [https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl\_ques](https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques).
* **Education Management:**
* Education falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution, with most schools administratively controlled by States/UTs.
* State Governments/UT Administrations manage teacher recruitment, remuneration, and deployment.
* The Central Government provides financial assistance through the Samagra Shiksha scheme to help maintain Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) as per the RTE Act, 2009.
* **Audit Reports:**
* States/UTs have been directed to submit Audit Reports to their respective State/UT Assemblies, according to the Department of Expenditure's OM dated August 18, 2016.
* States/UTs submit Annual Reports for laying in both Houses of Parliament. UTs without legislatures are submitting their Annual Reports and Audit Reports for laying in both the Houses of Parliament.
**Impact Analysis**
**States/UTs**
* **Impact:** States/UTs are responsible for managing and reporting data related to school enrolment, teacher deployment, and financial expenditures.
* **Action Required:** Ensure data accuracy and accessibility per the provided link. Prepare and submit Annual Reports and Audit Reports to their respective assemblies and to the Department of Education for laying in the Houses of Parliament.
**Department of Education**
* **Impact:** Department of Education needs to ensure accessibility of the data through the link provided.
* **Action Required:** Review the annual reports submitted by States/UTs.
**Members of Parliament**
* **Impact:** They receive information regarding the number of zero-enrolment schools.
* **Action Required:** Review the data from the provided links and assess the performance of the Education system.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The central government ministry responsible for education policy in India, which is the primary subject of the parliamentary question.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Indian Parliament, where the starred question was raised.
UDISE+: Unified District Information System for Education Plus, a source of school data used in the response.
Samagra Shiksha: A centrally sponsored scheme providing financial assistance to States and UTs to maintain pupil-teacher ratio.
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009: Act prescribing norms for pupil-teacher ratio.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO - 15
ANSWERED ON 01/12/2025
Zero Student Enrolment in Schools
*15. Shri Karti P Chidambaram:
Shri Amrinder Singh Raja Warring:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the number of Government schools with less than ten or zero student enrolment
since 2022 along with the number of teachers employed and drawing salaries in such schools, year
and State/UT-wise;
(b) the total annual expenditure incurred on salaries, maintenance and operation of these schools
during the said period;
(c) the number of schools closed, merged or repurposed due to low or zero enrolment since 2019,
State/UT and year-wise;
(d) the details of the number of zero-enrolment schools located in districts having high population of
students from the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and other minority communities;
and
(e) the details of the status and latest audit report relating to the financial management and
expenditure of such schools?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the House.
******STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) TO (E) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 15 ANSWERED ON 01/12/2025 ASKED BY HONB’LE MP’S
SHRI KARTI P CHIDAMBARAM AND SHRI AMRINDER SINGH RAJA WARRING
REGARDING ‘ZERO STUDENT ENROLMENT IN SCHOOLS’
(a) to (d): As per UDISE+, State/UT wise number of Government schools with less than ten or zero
student enrolment along with the number of teachers in these schools from the 2022-23 to 2024-25 is
available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
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 recruitment,
remuneration and rational deployment of teachers fall under the purview of the respective State
Governments/UT Administrations. 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.
As per UDISE+, year-wise number of Government schools in States/UTs from the year 2019-20 to
2024-25 is available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
The requisite data for the year 2024-25 is available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
(e): Department of Expenditure had clarified vide their OM dated 18.8.2016 regarding laying of
Annual Reports and Audit Reports, the States/UTs have been directed to submit their Audit Reports in
their respective State/UT Assemblies. Accordingly, the States/UTs are laying their Annual Audited
Reports in their respective Assemblies and submitting their Annual Reports to this department for
laying in both the Houses of the Parliament. UTs without legislature are submitting their Annual
Reports and Audit Reports for laying in both the Houses of the Parliament.
******