In the academic year 2023-24, school enrolment across India dropped by 3.7 million compared to the previous year, according to data from the Ministry of Education’s Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) Plus. This platform collects and compiles data on school education nationwide.
In 2022-23, 251.7 million students were enrolled in schools, but this figure fell to 248 million in 2023-24. Enrolment of boys declined by 2.1 million, while that of girls dropped by 1.6 million. Minority representation constituted approximately 20% of the total enrolment, with Muslims accounting for 79.6%, Christians 10%, Sikhs 6.9%, Buddhists 2.2%, Jains 1.3%, and Parsis 0.1%.
Regarding social categories, 26.9% of students were from the general category, 18% from Scheduled Castes, 9.9% from Scheduled Tribes, and 45.2% from Other Backward Classes.
The 2023-24 UDISE+ report introduced the voluntary collection of student-specific data, including Aadhaar numbers, to establish unique records. Over 197 million students provided their Aadhaar details. Officials highlighted that this approach reflects a more realistic picture of the education system, differing significantly from previous consolidated school-based data. It also helps eliminate ‘ghost students’ and ensures benefits reach eligible recipients, improving resource allocation and governance.
This individualised data also enables precise tracking of student progression and dropout rates. Identifying dropouts allows authorities to implement strategies to bring them back to school, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 goal of universal education access by 2030.
The report observed disparities in school infrastructure usage across states. States like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan showed underutilisation of schools, while states such as Telangana and Punjab demonstrated optimal use, with enrolment outpacing available schools.
These findings underscore the importance of data-driven policymaking to enhance enrolment, retention, and resource management in Indian education.
(With PTI inputs)
