More than 5,000 government-run schools across India recorded zero student enrolment in the 2024–25 academic year, according to official data presented in Parliament. The figures point to a quiet but deeply concerning trend within the public education system, raising questions about access, migration, and the long-term viability of government schooling in several regions.
As per the data, 5,149 government schools across the country reported not a single enrolled student during the current academic year. This number emerges from a total of approximately 10.13 lakh government schools nationwide, indicating that while the proportion may appear small, the absolute scale of the issue is significant.
Two States Account for the Majority
What stands out most sharply is the geographic concentration of these empty schools. More than 70% of all zero-enrolment government schools are located in just two states: Telangana and West Bengal. In practical terms, over seven out of every ten government schools without students are concentrated in these regions alone.
This uneven distribution has triggered renewed scrutiny of local education dynamics, including shifting population patterns, school rationalisation and mergers, and the growing preference among families for private schools. It also raises the possibility that migration—both rural-to-urban and inter-state—may be leaving certain government schools without viable student populations.
Implications for Public Schooling
Education experts have long warned that declining enrolment in government schools can signal deeper structural challenges. These include shrinking child populations in specific areas, inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages, or a perceived decline in education quality compared to private institutions. In some cases, schools may continue to exist administratively despite being effectively non-functional on the ground.
The concentration of zero-enrolment schools in Telangana and West Bengal suggests that state-specific factors may be at play, warranting closer examination of regional education policies, demographic trends, and implementation of school consolidation initiatives.
What the Data Does—and Does Not—Reveal
The figures were disclosed as part of annexures tabled in response to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 15, answered on December 1, 2025. The question, raised by Members of Parliament Karti P. Chidambaram and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, specifically sought details on government schools reporting zero student enrolment.
While the data clearly establishes the scale and distribution of the issue, it stops short of explaining the underlying causes. It does not indicate whether these schools are temporarily inactive, permanently abandoned, or maintained only on paper—a concern repeatedly highlighted in previous policy debates on public education efficiency.
As India continues to push for universal access, improved learning outcomes, and rationalised school infrastructure, the existence of thousands of student-less government schools presents a critical policy challenge—one that demands not just administrative clarity, but targeted, state-level intervention.
