India’s UDISE‑Plus data reveal a 6.73 % drop in government school enrolment and a net gain of over 88 lakh students in private unaided recognised schools between 2023‑24 and 2025‑26.
India’s latest UDISE‑Plus data show a 6.73 % decline in government school enrolment between 2023‑24 and 2025‑26, contrasted with a net gain of more than 88 lakh students in private unaided recognised schools. The Ministry of Education released the figures on 7 July 2026.
The Ministry of Education’s Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE‑Plus) report for the 2025‑26 academic year recorded a drop in government school enrolment from 12,74,90,199 students in 2023‑24 to 11,89,03,585 in 2025‑26 [1]. The same report indicated that private unaided recognised schools increased their enrolment by 88,02,000 students over the same period [2].
The data were compiled by the Ministry’s central education database, which aggregates school‑level information from every district in India [2]. The decline and increase were measured across all states and union territories, covering primary and upper primary levels in both government and private sectors [1].
The Ministry released the findings through a press statement and uploaded the full dataset to its official portal on 7 July 2026 [2].
Enrollment Trends in Government and Private Schools
The UDISE‑Plus report documents a net loss of 85,86,000 students from government schools between the 2023‑24 and 2025‑26 academic years [1]. This represents a 6.73 % reduction in the total government school student body, bringing the count down to 11.89 crore [1]. The decline was observed uniformly across most states, with larger absolute drops in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, where government school enrolment fell by more than 1 crore students each [4].
The growth was driven primarily by enrolments in lower‑primary grades, where private institutions added approximately 55 lakh students, while upper‑primary levels contributed the remaining 33 lakh [4].
Conversely, private unaided recognised schools recorded an increase of 88,02,000 students in the same timeframe [2]. The growth was driven primarily by enrolments in lower‑primary grades, where private institutions added approximately 55 lakh students, while upper‑primary levels contributed the remaining 33 lakh [4]. The private sector’s net gain exceeded the government sector’s loss by roughly 2 lakh students, indicating a net shift of learners from public to private institutions [1].
The Ministry’s report attributes the shift to parental choice, citing factors such as perceived quality of instruction, infrastructure, and safety, although the data set does not quantify these motivations [2][4]. The UDISE‑Plus methodology involves annual school‑level reporting by headmasters, verification by district education officers, and consolidation at the national level, ensuring consistency across the two‑year comparison [3].
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Government School Enrolment Falls by 85.86 Lakh While Private Schools Add Over 88 Lakh Students, Ministry Reports
The reduction in government school enrolment may affect resource allocation for public schools, as funding formulas in India are partially enrolment‑based [1][3]. Schools experiencing lower student numbers could see adjustments in teacher postings, classroom utilization, and capital investment plans [2]. Conversely, private schools reporting increased enrolment may need to expand facilities, recruit additional teaching staff, and adjust fee structures to accommodate the larger student body [4].
For students, the transition from government to private schools could alter access to educational resources, given that private institutions typically charge tuition and may offer different curricular or extracurricular options [2][4]. The shift also has implications for equity, as families with higher income are more likely to afford private school fees, potentially widening socio‑economic gaps in educational outcomes [1].
Policymakers may use the UDISE‑Plus data to evaluate the effectiveness of recent government initiatives aimed at improving public‑school quality, such as the “Saakshar Bharat” program and infrastructure grants under the National Education Mission [3]. The enrollment trends provide a quantitative baseline for future assessments of policy impact and may inform decisions on targeted interventions in regions with the steepest declines [4].
Key Facts
For students, the transition from government to private schools could alter access to educational resources, given that private institutions typically charge tuition and may offer different curricular or extracurricular options [2][4].
What: Government school enrolment fell by 85.86 lakh students while private unaided recognised schools added over 88 lakh students between 2023‑24 and 2025‑26.
When: Data released on 7 July 2026; comparison covers the 2023‑24 and 2025‑26 academic years.
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