Kendriya Vidyalaya admissions hit 5-year low, nationwide decline triggers alarm

Kendriya Vidyalayas across India have experienced a noticeable decline in student admissions over the past five academic years, according to a written reply by the Ministry of Education’s Department of School Education and Literacy in Parliament.

There are currently 1,280 Kendriya Vidyalayas operating across the country, with a total student strength of 1,350,518 in the ongoing 2024-25 academic session.

This marks a drop of 37,245 students compared to the 2020–21 session, which had 1,387,763 students enrolled, resulting in a decrease of nearly 2.86%.

A year-on-year comparison shows that the 2024–25 academic year also recorded a fall of 39,042 students from 2023–24.

The peak enrollment over the past five years was reported in 2021–22, when student numbers reached 1,429,434.

Fresh admissions have also seen a steady decline. While 195,081 new students enrolled in 2020–21, this number dropped to 182,846 in 2021–22 and then to 157,914 in 2022–23.

After a minor rebound in 2023–24 with 175,386 new admissions, the figure plunged to 139,660 in 2024–25, the lowest in five years and more than 55,000 fewer than in 2020–21.

In response to questions raised by BK Parthasarathi from the Telugu Desam Party and Sudha R from Congress, the ministry shared these statistics and confirmed the government’s plan to expand the Kendriya Vidyalaya network.

In December 2024, the Union government approved the establishment of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas under the civil and defense sectors.

Additionally, an existing KV in Shivamogga, Karnataka, will be expanded with two additional sections in all classes. The total estimated expenditure for these initiatives is around ₹5,872.08 crore.

The ministry highlighted that the process of establishing Kendriya Vidyalayas is ongoing, and proposals can be initiated by central ministries, state governments, or Union Territory administrations.

These proposals must include essential resources such as land and temporary accommodation as per the norms, and final approval depends on clearance by the competent authority.