Lok Sabha Question No. 92 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-21
Subject: Schools closed in Assam
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Md. Rakibul Hussain

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 92 ANSWERED ON - 21/07/2025

## Schools closed in Assam

## 92. Md. Rakibul Hussain

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be please to State:

(a)  the  number  of  primary,  middle,  high  and  higher  secondary  schools  closed  between  FY 2016 and 2025 in Assam district and year-wise;

(b) the number of students enrolled in these schools at the time of closure in Assam during the above period, district and year-wise;

(c) the details of Middle and Primary drop outs and the position of Assam compared to the other States; and

(d)  the  bifurcated  number  of  closed  primary,  middle,  high  and  higher  secondary  schools mapped across modes of academic instruction in Assam during the above period, district and year-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (d): Department of School Education, Assam has informed that no Government/Provincialized Primary, Middle, High and Higher Secondary Schools have been closed  till  date  in  the  State  of  Assam.  However,  at  Elementary  Level  schools  have  been merged/amalgamated  under  the  Siksha  Khetra  Scheme  where  there  is  non-sustainable enrolment or schools situated in the same campus or to optimise the use of available resources into a Single Administrative and academic unit in adherence to Norms & Guidelines as per RTE  2009.  Schools  are  rationalized  within  the  distance  norms  for  optimum  utilization  of teachers and as effort to reduce drop-out.

As such, since the year 2017 till 2025, a total of 7427 Nos.(Source: Data of UDISE as received from  SSA,  Assam)  of  Elementary  schools  have  been  amalgamated  or  merged  with  other Elementary schools as Base Schools under Directorate of Elementary Education, Assam as well as with Secondary schools under the Directorate of Secondary Education, Assam.

However, the students of the merged/amalgamated schools are continuing their education in the Base school. No student has been deprived of getting education after merger/amalgamation and it is also ensured that after merger/amalgamation no student face any difficulty to pursue their schooling as all schools are available within the areas as per RTE norms.

The teachers of the merged/amalgamated schools have been rendering their services in the Base school and are getting their regular salary from the Base school. If there is any excess teacher as per RTE norms, rationalization of teachers is done within the districts from time to time making optimum utilization of services and for providing better education to the students.

At Secondary Level, to address low enrolment, optimum utilization of services of teaching staff,  to  mitigate  shortage  of  teachers  and  to  reduce  dropout  rate,  as  per  the  Govt.  scheme "Shiksha  Khetra",  289  Nos.  of  Secondary  Schools  have  been  amalgamated/  merged  with nearest schools during the FY 2016-25. The students and teachers of the schools amalgamated/ merged with other base schools have come under the new base schools and have been covered under the same academic calendar as well as same administration.

The details of Middle and Primary drop outs and the position of Assam compared to other States is given at Annexure.

******

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 92 FOR ANSWER ON 21.07.2025 ASKED BY MD. RAKIBUL HUSSAIN, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING SCHOOLS CLOSED IN ASSAM.

Details of Middle and Primary drop outs and the position of Assam compared to other States:

| State/UTs Name                 | Annual Average Dropout Rage - 2023-24   | Annual Average Dropout Rage - 2023-24   |
|--------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
|                                | Primary level (I-V)                     | Upper Primary                           |
| ANDAMAN&NICOBAR ISLANDS        | 0.8                                     | 0.4                                     |
| ANDHRA PRADESH                 | 0.2                                     | 1.1                                     |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH              | 5.4                                     | 6.8                                     |
| ASSAM                          | 6.2                                     | 8.2                                     |
| BIHAR                          | 8.9                                     | 25.9                                    |
| CHANDIGARH                     | 0.0                                     | 0.4                                     |
| CHHATTISGARH                   | 1.8                                     | 5.3                                     |
| DADRA&NAGARHAVELIANDDAMAN& DIU | 1.6                                     | 3.1                                     |
| DELHI                          | 0.0                                     | 0.6                                     |
| GOA                            | 0.8                                     | 1.1                                     |
| GUJARAT                        | 0.1                                     | 4.2                                     |
| HARYANA                        | 1.2                                     | 4.7                                     |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH               | 0.0                                     | 0.6                                     |
| JAMMU &KASHMIR                 | 1.6                                     | 3.2                                     |
| JHARKHAND                      | 0.9                                     | 9.0                                     |
| KARNATAKA                      | 1.7                                     | 2.7                                     |
| KERALA                         | 0.0                                     | 0.0                                     |
| LADAKH                         | 4.3                                     | 5.8                                     |
| LAKSHADWEEP                    | 2.3                                     | 3.1                                     |
| MADHYAPRADESH                  | 1.0                                     | 6.7                                     |
| MAHARASHTRA                    | 0.0                                     | 0.6                                     |
| MANIPUR                        | 4.5                                     | 3.5                                     |
| MEGHALAYA                      | 7.5                                     | 12.4                                    |
| MIZORAM                        | 3.5                                     | 5.9                                     |
| NAGALAND                       | 4.5                                     | 5.8                                     |
| ODISHA                         | 0.0                                     | 2.0                                     |
| PUDUCHERRY                     | 1.2                                     | 1.4                                     |
| PUNJAB                         | 0.1                                     | 2.6                                     |
| RAJASTHAN                      | 7.6                                     | 6.8                                     |
| SIKKIM                         | 2.6                                     | 4.9                                     |
| TAMILNADU                      | 0.0                                     | 0.0                                     |
| TELANGANA                      | 0.0                                     | 0.0                                     |
| TRIPURA                        | 0.5                                     | 4.1                                     |
| UTTAR PRADESH                  | 2.2                                     | 4.0                                     |
| UTTARAKHAND                    | 0.0                                     | 1.5                                     |
| WEST BENGAL                    | 0.0                                     | 0.0                                     |
| INDIA                          | 1.9                                     | 5.2                                     |

Source: UDISE+ 2023-24