Govt raises alarm over exodus to private schools, urges states to reverse ‘disturbing trend’

In a pointed advisory to several state governments, the Union Ministry of Education has flagged a growing and troubling pattern: students are steadily migrating from government schools to private institutions across multiple states — a shift the Ministry has described as “disturbing.”

States including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Tamil Nadu have come under specific scrutiny for showing sharp enrolment imbalances, despite having a higher number of government-run schools.

This concern was raised during recent meetings between the Education Ministry and state officials regarding the implementation of the Samagra Shiksha scheme for 2025–26. The issue also surfaced in parallel discussions on the PM-POSHAN (midday meal) scheme, underscoring its deepening significance in policymaking circles.

Private surge amidst public majority

According to minutes from these high-level meetings, in 11 out of 23 states and Union Territories reviewed so far, the Ministry highlighted an inverse trend: while the majority of schools are government-run, private institutions are enrolling a disproportionate share of students.

In Andhra Pradesh, for example, out of 61,373 schools, 73% are government schools, yet only 46% of students are enrolled in them. In contrast, private schools — constituting roughly a quarter of total schools — account for over 52% of student enrolment. “Enrolment trend during 2021–22 to 2023–24 suggests that enrolment in unaided schools is steadily increasing,” the minutes note, citing UDISE+ data.

Telangana presents a similar picture: government schools make up 70% of the 42,901 institutions, but enrol just 38.11% of students, while private schools — fewer in number — draw 60.75% of total enrolments. Uttarakhand, too, follows suit: 72% of schools are government-run, but these serve just 36.68% of the state’s student population, compared to 54.39% in unaided schools.

Call for root cause analysis

The Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy has urged these states to undertake a comprehensive analysis to identify and address the root causes behind the shift. “In spite of spending a large amount of funds, students are moving away from government schools, which is a disturbing trend,” he remarked in the official record.

In Tamil Nadu, the Ministry pointed out that while 64% of schools are public, they account for only 37% of enrolment. In stark contrast, unaided schools represent just 21% of the institutions but enroll 46% of students. The state has been advised to “build the government school brand” to regain trust and increase enrolment.

Wider national implications

States and UTs including Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, and Ladakh were also flagged for declining enrolment in public schools. While some states attributed this to “data cleansing” using Aadhaar verification, the Ministry remains unconvinced, citing broader post-COVID behavioral shifts and increased demand for perceived quality education.

A senior official noted that the sharpest rise in private enrolment is observed at the junior class level. “With rising aspirations, the demand for private schools has also gone up,” the official said.

The numbers speak

Nationally, UDISE+ 2023–24 data reveals that private school enrolment now accounts for 36% (over 9 crore) of the total school enrolment of 24.8 crore. While the number was 33% in both 2021–22 and 2022–23, the current figure shows a return to the pre-pandemic level of 36% seen in 2020–21 — a level not far from the 37% recorded in 2019–20.

As enrolment patterns shift, the Centre’s message is clear: public education needs more than just investment — it needs trust, quality, and renewal. Without swift corrective measures, the divide between public and private schooling could deepen further, raising concerns of equity, access, and long-term systemic health.