UDISE+ 2025-26: Over 1 lakh schools in India still run with a single teacher

More than one lakh schools across India continue to function with only a single teacher, even as the country recorded improvements in several key school education indicators, including lower dropout rates, better infrastructure, and higher digital connectivity, according to the UDISE+ Report 2025-26.

The report, which covers 1,466,682 schools across the country, found that 100,843 schools are operating with just one teacher.

Among the states, Andhra Pradesh reported the highest number of single-teacher schools at 16,357, followed by Jharkhand with 9,827. Punjab recorded 1,749 such schools.

The report also identified 5,663 schools with zero student enrollment nationwide. West Bengal accounted for the highest number of such institutions, with 4,133 schools reporting no enrolled students.

Several states and Union Territories, including Chandigarh, Goa, Delhi, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, and Haryana, reported no zero-enrollment schools.

Punjab recorded 19 schools without any enrolled students despite having 53 teachers posted at those institutions.

The UDISE+ report also highlighted a marginal improvement in girls' participation in school education. Girls accounted for 48.4% of total enrollment in 2025-26, compared with 48.3% in the previous academic year.

The report recorded continued progress in school infrastructure during the reporting year. Schools equipped with ramps and handrails for students with disabilities increased to 58.2% in 2025-26 from 54.9% in 2024-25, reflecting greater emphasis on inclusive education.

Internet connectivity in schools also improved, with the share of schools having internet access rising from 63.5% in 2024-25 to 67.4% in 2025-26. According to the report, the increase reflects continued efforts to strengthen digital learning infrastructure.

Basic amenities also remained widely available across schools. According to the findings, 95% of schools have electricity, 98.5% have girls' toilets, 97.2% have boys' toilets, 96.9% provide handwashing facilities, and 99.5% have access to safe drinking water.

The report also showed a continued decline in school dropout rates, extending a trend observed over the previous three academic years.

At the preparatory level, covering Classes 3 to 5, the dropout rate declined from 2.3% in 2024-25 to 1.8% in 2025-26. At the secondary level, covering Classes 9 and 10, the dropout rate fell from 8.2% to 7.0% during the same period.

The report further showed that the Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) stood at 10 at the foundational stage, 12 at the preparatory stage, 17 at the middle stage, and 21 at the secondary stage.

These figures remain well within the 30:1 ratio recommended under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for effective classroom interaction.

According to the report, Chandigarh and Delhi recorded the highest number of students per school while maintaining PTR figures within the norms prescribed under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, indicating efficient utilization of existing school infrastructure.

In contrast, Ladakh, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Meghalaya reported comparatively lower student populations per school, suggesting there is scope to rationalize school infrastructure in these regions.