Fewer schools, fewer students: Parliamentary panel flags steep drop-off before higher secondary

A parliamentary panel has flagged a sharp decline in the availability of schools and student enrollment as children move from primary to higher levels of education, with nearly 73% reportedly leaving before completing higher secondary.

The concern was raised in the Tenth Report (Eighteenth Lok Sabha) of the Committee on Estimates (2026-27) on "Budget and Policy aspects for providing Affordable and Quality Education in the Country, including Review of Central Board of Secondary Education."

According to Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2024-25 data cited by the panel, the country has far fewer schools at the secondary and higher secondary levels than at the primary and upper primary stages.

Of the 1,092,671 schools covered in the data, 911,032 are primary schools, 412,805 serve the upper primary level, 161,808 operate at the secondary level and only 90,866 are higher secondary schools.

The enrollment figures also decline substantially with each successive level. Primary classes have 61,845,033 students, compared with 40,893,978 in Classes 6 to 8. The number falls to 23,668,220 at the secondary level and 16,417,949 at the higher secondary stage.

"The committee are concerned to note this drastic decline in number of schools and students as education levels rises," it said.

"From the above information, the Committee note that out of over 1 million government schools, the vast majority are only primary schools, and nearly 73% of students drop out before finishing higher secondary," it added.

The committee called for a major expansion of secondary and higher secondary schooling and urged the Education Ministry to prioritize upgrading existing primary and secondary schools into full higher secondary institutions.

It said improving the availability of higher secondary schools would make education more accessible to students across communities and could help reduce the dropout rate.

"The Committee are of the view that there is an urgent need to increase the number of schools at secondary and higher secondary levels," it said.

The panel also asked the ministry to work with state governments and Union Territory administrations to establish more secondary and higher secondary schools. Education is on the Concurrent List, while most schools are administered by states and UTs.

The committee separately examined the availability of facilities for students with disabilities and identified significant shortcomings in infrastructure for Children with Special Needs (CwSN).

Under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, the Education Ministry provides financial assistance to states and UTs for infrastructure and human resources aimed at supporting inclusive education for students with disabilities.

The scheme provides for accessibility features including ramps, handrails and specially designed toilets to enable children with disabilities to safely access and participate in school activities.

However, UDISE+ 2024-25 data showed that only 523,143 of 1,471,437 schools have CwSN-friendly toilets. A total of 808,466 schools have ramps with handrails.

"The severe gap in the availability of CwSN friendly infrastructure shows that more than half of the schools across the country are devoid of CwSN friendly infrastructure," the committee said.

The panel also pointed to low utilization of funds earmarked for accessibility projects. In 2024-25, ₹482 lakh was allocated for 186 CwSN toilets, but only ₹2.60 lakh was spent, with no physical progress recorded.

Funding for special educators also saw limited utilization. The committee said ₹80.50 lakh was spent against an elementary education allocation of ₹962 lakh for new special educators.

It further noted limited progress in the recruitment and retention of special educators supporting CwSN students.

The committee said the government's approach to education for students with disabilities is based on rights, inclusion and holistic development.

It noted that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPnD) Act, 2016, entitles children with benchmark disabilities to free education until they reach 18 years of age.

The panel also highlighted the Zero Rejection Policy under NEP 2020, which seeks to ensure that children with disabilities are not excluded from schooling. The policy also emphasizes preparing teachers to support inclusive classrooms.

"In view of the above, the Committee strongly recommend the Ministry to adhere to yearly targets of budget utilisation and execution of CwSN related projects in a time bound manner," it said.

The committee recommended that the ministry ensure the development of safe, accessible infrastructure for students with disabilities within specified timelines.

It also asked the ministry to assess the country's requirement for special educators and complete their recruitment at the earliest.