Lok Sabha Question No. 15 (STARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Zero Student Enrolment in Schools
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Shri Karti P Chidambaram

## 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.

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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 PupilTeacher 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.

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