UDISE+ Report 2025–26: Status of India’s School Education System

Context:

Recently, the Ministry of Education released the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) Report 2025–26, providing comprehensive data on the status of India’s school education sector.

About UDISE+ Report 2025–26:

The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) is one of the world’s largest Education Management Information Systems (EMIS). It covers:

• • More than 14.8 lakh schools
  • Around 1.02 crore teachers
  • Over 26 crore students

It serves as the primary data repository under the Department of School Education and Literacy and plays a crucial role in evidence-based policymaking, efficient resource allocation, and the implementation of the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Key Findings of UDISE+ Report 2025–26

1. Improvement in Teacher Availability and Pupil–Teacher Ratio (PTR)

The number of teachers increased from 94.83 lakh in 2022–23 to 1.02 crore in 2025–26, reflecting an 8.3% increase.

The Pupil–Teacher Ratio (PTR) has also improved significantly across different stages:

• • Foundational Stage: 10:1
  • Preparatory Stage: 12:1
  • Middle Stage: 17:1
  • Secondary Stage: 21:1

These ratios are well below the NEP 2020 benchmark of 30:1, enabling better classroom interaction and greater individual attention for students.

Under NEP 2020, India’s traditional 10+2 education system has been replaced with the 5+3+3+4 curricular structure, comprising four stages:

• • Foundational Stage: 5 years
  • Preparatory Stage: 3 years
  • Middle Stage: 3 years
  • Secondary Stage: 4 years

2. Improvement in Enrolment, Retention, and Transition Rates

The report highlights a decline in dropout rates across different stages:

• • Preparatory Stage: 1.8%
  • Middle Stage: 3.6%
  • Secondary Stage: 7.0%

The secondary retention rate improved from 47.2% to 51.9%.

Similarly, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the secondary level increased from 68.5% to 71.7%.

The transition rates between different stages have also improved:

• • Foundational to Preparatory: 99.2%
  • Preparatory to Middle: 93.8%
  • Middle to Secondary: 88.3%

3. Rationalisation of Schools

According to the report:

• • The number of single-teacher schools declined to 1,00,843.
  • The number of zero-enrolment schools reduced to 5,663.

This reflects improved teacher deployment, better utilisation of resources, and enhanced administrative efficiency.

4. Progress in Digital Infrastructure and Inclusive Education

Digital infrastructure in schools has expanded considerably:

• • Schools with computer access: 69.9%
  • Schools with internet connectivity: 67.4%

Basic infrastructure has also improved significantly:

• • 99.5% of schools have drinking water facilities.
  • 95% of schools have electricity.
  • More than 97% of schools have functional toilets.

The proportion of schools equipped with ramps and handrails has increased to 58.2%, promoting inclusive education for children with disabilities.

In addition:

• • Female teachers now constitute 54.9% of the teaching workforce.
  • Girls’ enrolment has reached 48.4%.

Challenges Highlighted

• • Secondary-level dropout remains a major concern due to limited school availability and socio-economic barriers.
  • Infrastructure gaps continue to exist in several schools.
  • Only 81.9% of schools have playground facilities.
  • Just 29.9% of schools have rainwater harvesting systems.
  • Many schools still require better accessibility for Children with Special Needs (CWSN) through ramps, accessible toilets, and barrier-free infrastructure.
  • Around one lakh schools continue to function with only one teacher, affecting the quality of teaching and learning.

Way Forward

India needs to:

• • Expand secondary and senior secondary schools in underserved and remote areas.
  • Strengthen inclusive education through accessible infrastructure and assistive facilities.
  • Promote sustainable schools by adopting rainwater harvesting, solar energy, and green infrastructure.
  • Ensure adequate teacher availability and further strengthen digital learning by integrating schools with platforms such as the National Digital Library and PM e-VIDYA.

Conclusion

The UDISE+ Report 2025–26 reflects significant progress in India’s school education system through improvements in teacher availability, student retention, digital infrastructure, and basic facilities.

However, challenges such as secondary-level dropout, inclusive education, and the persistence of single-teacher schools require focused policy interventions. Strengthening an equitable, technology-driven, and sustainable education system will be essential to achieve the objectives of NEP 2020 and Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4: Quality Education).