The educational system in India is undergoing a structural change as private schools gain students at the expense of government institutions. Data analysis shows that despite overall stability in the total number of enrolled students in schools over the last two years, government schools lost approximately 8.6 million students between the 2023-24 and 2025-26 academic years.
Attendance Dynamics
According to an analysis by TOI based on UDISE+ NEP-structure reports for 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26, the total number of students from primary to secondary levels was 24.7 billion in 2025-26 compared to 24.8 billion in 2023-24, representing a decrease of approximately 8.3 million. However, within this nearly unchanged overall figure, attendance in government schools dropped from 12.8 billion to 11.9 billion, while in non-affiliated recognized private schools, it increased from 9 billion to 9.9 billion.
Improvements in the Education System
This shift occurs against the backdrop of improvements in several indicators of access and infrastructure in the school system. The number of schools slightly decreased from 1.47 million to 1.47 million, but the teacher base grew from 98 million to 1 billion, improving the student-teacher ratio from 25 to 24. The number of schools with zero attendance decreased from 12,954 to 5,663, and the number of schools with one teacher reduced from 1.1 million to 1 million.
Academic Progress and Gender Aspect
The most noticeable growth in academic access is observed at the secondary level. The Secondary GER coverage rate increased from 66.5 in 2023-24 to 71.7 in 2025-26, while the dropout rate at the secondary level decreased from 10.9% to 7%. The transition rate from middle to secondary education improved from 83.3% to 88.3%, and retention at the secondary level rose from 45.6% to 51.9%. Girls continue to perform better than boys at the secondary stage: in 2025-26, girls had a higher GER (74 versus 69.6), a lower dropout rate (5.7% versus 8.3%), and better retention (55% versus 49.2%).
Changes in Attendance Structure
The pattern of attendance by level has also changed. At the secondary level, there was an increase of approximately 3.15 million between 2023-24 and 2025-26, while at the preparatory level, there was a drop of more than 42 million. The increase in attendance at the primary level was only slight. Reports note that UDISE+ data for the primary level does not include Anganwadi attendance, which limits the ability to fully assess the situation in early childhood care and education (ECCE).
Infrastructure Achievements and Gaps
Infrastructure showed a sharper improvement in digital access than in basic amenities, many of which are already close to saturation. The share of schools with computer equipment increased from 57.2% to 69.9%, and internet access rose from 53.9% to 67.4%. Access to drinking water reached 99.5%, toilets reached 99.1%, women's toilets reached 98.5%, and electricity reached 95%. Nevertheless, gaps remain in inclusive and climate infrastructure: only 40.1% of schools are equipped with toilets suitable for children with special needs (CWSN), 58.2% have ramps with handrails, 29.9% use functional rainwater harvesting systems, and only 11.5% are equipped with solar panels.
Regional Differences
By state, Uttar Pradesh recorded the largest increase in attendance over two years, followed by Telangana and Jharkhand. Rajasthan, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu showed the sharpest declines in attendance. Jharkhand and Haryana achieved the largest growth in Secondary GER, while Bihar, Meghalaya, and West Bengal registered the sharpest drops in the secondary dropout rate.