A recent data from the Union education ministry’s UDISE suggests that only 57.2% of schools nationwide have functional computers, and 53.9% are equipped with internet access. Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) is a platform managed by the education ministry to collect and consolidate data on school education across the country.
Over 90% of schools in India have essential infrastructure like electricity and gender-specific toilets. Whereas many Indian schools lack advanced facilities such as computers, internet access, and ramps with handrails.
The report highlights that only 52.3% of schools have ramps, pointing out significant challenges in accessibility and technological readiness. Additionally, student enrolment has decreased, with the total dropping by 37 lakhs to 24.8 crore in the 2023-24 academic year.
The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) highlights significant disparities across various educational stages. While the preparatory level achieves a GER of 96.5%, the foundational level lags behind at just 41.5%. The middle and secondary levels also show gaps, with GERs of 89.5% and 66.5%, respectively. Dropout rates increase notably in higher grades, rising from 5.2% at the middle school level to 10.9% in secondary education.
The UDISE+ report focuses on the urgent need to streamline teacher allocation, enhance infrastructure, and tackle inequalities in enrolment and retention. These steps are crucial to achieving the NEP’s goal of equitable and inclusive education by 2030.
