Lok Sabha Question No. 1405 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: Declining Enrolment in Government Schools
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Dr. Byreddy Shabari, Dr. Gumma Thanuja Rani

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1405

ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026

## Declining Enrolment in Government Schools

1405. Dr. Byreddy Shabari: Dr. Gumma Thanuja Rani:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  number  of  Government  schools  presently  operational  along  with  details  of  new  schools established  and  schools  closed,  merged  or  consolidated  across  the  country  during  the  last  ten  years, year-wise and State/UT-wise, including reasons for closures or mergers;
- (b) the number of students enrolled in Government schools across the country during the last ten years, year-wise and State/UT-wise, and gender-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has observed any significant inter-State variations or year-wise decline in enrolment in Government schools across the country during the said period and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise including district-wise in Andhra Pradesh;
- (d)  the  key  factors  responsible  for  migration  of  students  to  private  schools  along  with  the  corrective measures being implemented jointly by the Centre and the States to strengthen public schooling; and
- (e) whether the Government is aware that inspections, audits and quality assessments of all Government schools are not conducted regularly or comprehensively, if so, whether it proposes to ensure time-bound inspections and audits of all schools on a mission-mode basis with 100 per cent coverage, including the roadmap, timelines and monitoring mechanisms proposed and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a)  to  (e):  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 opening, closing and rationalisation of schools are within the purview  of respective State Government  and  UT  Administration.  As  per  UDISE+  (Unified  District  Information  System  for Education  Plus),  State/UT  wise  number  of  government  schools  and  enrolment  in  these  schools gender wise from the year 2015-16 to 2024-25 is available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl\_ques.

As per UDISE+, district wise enrolment in Government schools in Andhra Pradesh for the year 2023-24 to 2024-25 is available at  https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl\_ques.

Samagra Shiksha focuses on improvement in quality of education by providing support for different  interventions  to  all  States  and  UTs,  like  in-service  training  of  teachers  and  school  heads, conduct of achievement surveys at state and national level, composite school grant to every school for providing a conducive learning environment, grants for library, sports and physical activities, support for Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, ICT and digital initiatives, School Leadership development programme,  remedial  teaching  for  academically  weaker  students,  support  for  Padhe  Bharat  Badhe Bharat, etc.

Also, Central Government assist States and UTs through the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha and hot cooked meal provided from Balvatika to class 8 under Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Yojna. Financial assistance/grant is also provided to the States and UTs including Uttar Pradesh for various activities to reduce dropout and increase enrolment in Government schools, which include opening/strengthening of new  schools up to Senior Secondary level, strengthening school infrastructure, setting up and up gradation and running of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas  (KGBV)  upto  class  12,  setting  up  of  residential  schools/hostels  named  Netaji  Subhas Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas, hostels under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA), transport allowance, undertaking enrolment drives, seasonal hostels/residential camps, provision of vocational education and ICT  facilities  in  schools,  providing  free  text  books  and  free  uniform,  transport/escort  facility,  etc, financial assistance/grant is also provided for aids and appliances for children with special needs.

Programme Approval Board (PAB) of PM Poshan under the Chairpersonship of Secretary (DoSE&L) monitor the social audits conducted by each State/ UT in previous financial year and also approve the proposals of States/ UTs to conduct social audits in the current financial year as per the PM Poshan Guidelines.  PAB also  advise  the  States/  UTs  to  draw  annual  calendar  of  activities  to conduct the Social Audit and share the Social Audit report and action taken report. Expenditures on Social Audit are met from the Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (MME) component of the Scheme.

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