UDISE+ 2023-24 Report Reveals Sharp Decline in School Enrolment

1. In January 2025, the Ministry of Education (MoE) released the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report for 2023-24 which highlights significant changes in the Indian school education landscape.
2. The report provides comprehensive data on enrolment trends, dropout rates, and school infrastructure across the country.

What is UDISE+?

1. The Department of School Education & Literacy (DOSEL) introduced the “Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+)” starting in 2018-19.
2. This system enables schools to upload data online, which is then verified at multiple levels, including Block, District, and State, ensuring accuracy and reliability.
3. The collected data is essential for assessing and improving the quality of education from pre-primary to higher secondary levels.

Key Findings of UDISE+ 2023-24

Student Enrolment Trends

1. Overall Decline: Total enrolment dropped to 24.8 crore in 2023-24, down from 25.18 crore in 2022-23.
   • Compared to 2018-19, enrolment decreased by approximately 1.55 crore students (nearly 6%).
2. Class-Wise Analysis:
   • Primary, Upper Primary, and Secondary Levels: Notable declines in enrolment.
   • Pre-Primary and Higher Secondary Levels: An increase in enrolment during 2023-24.
3. Gender Disparities:
   • Boys’ enrolment dropped by 4.87% (13.53 crore in 2018-19 to 12.87 crore in 2023-24).
   • Girls’ enrolment dropped by 4.48% (12.49 crore in 2018-19 to 11.93 crore in 2023-24).
   • Boys accounted for 51.9% of total enrolment, while girls made up 48.1%.
4. State-Wise Data: States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra reported the highest drops in enrolments.
   • Bihar: A decline of 35.65 lakh students.
   • Uttar Pradesh: A decline of 28.26 lakh students.
   • Maharashtra: Enrolment dropped by 18.55 lakh students.
5. Representation of Minorities: Minority enrolment stood at 20%, with the breakdown of: Muslims (79.6%), Christians (10%), Sikhs (6.9%), Buddhists (2.2%), Jains (1.3%), and  Parsis (0.1%)
6. Caste-Wise Enrolment:
   • Scheduled Caste (SC): Dropped from 4.59 crore in 2022-23 to 4.47 crore in 2023-24.
   • Other Backward Classes (OBC): Dropped from 11.45 crore in 2022-23 to 11.2 crore in 2023-24.

Dropout Rates and Retention

1. Zero Dropout at Foundational Level: Pre-primary to Class 2 levels maintained a zero-dropout rate due to admissions transitioning from Anganwadis and standalone private pre-primary schools.
2. High Dropout at Secondary Level: Maximum dropouts were observed in Classes 9 to 12, attributed to socio-economic factors, early marriages, and a lack of interest.
3. National-Level Trends in Dropout Rates: Across India, the percentage of students continuing their education into higher grades without dropping out has improved significantly between 2019 and 2024.
   • Among girls, over 80 out of 100 completed secondary education in 2024, compared to just 73.5 in 2019.
   • Among boys, the numbers increased from 72.4 in 2019 to 77.2 in 2024.

Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)

1. GER declined slightly across most levels except at the secondary level.
2. GER measures enrolment in a specific education level compared to the age-appropriate population.

Teacher Statistics

1. Pupil-to-Teacher Ratio (PTR): The average PTR was within the recommended RTE norm of 30:1 in most states.

1. • Chandigarh and Delhi reported the highest students per school but maintained PTRs within norms, indicating optimal infrastructure utilization.
2. Teacher Distribution: Teachers across levels varied significantly, with a higher focus on primary education.
   • Social category distribution of teachers: 41% General, 39% OBC, 12% SC, and 8% ST.
3. Rise in Female Teachers: In 2023-24, female teachers constituted 53% of the total school teaching workforce, the highest recorded proportion to date.
   • This marks a significant increase from 2018-19 when female representation was just under 50%.
   • In 2018-19, of the 94.3 lakh teachers, 47.2 lakh (50.01%) were men and 47.1 lakh (49.98%) were women.
   • By 2023-24, the number of female teachers increased to 52 lakh, while male teacher numbers dropped to approximately 45 lakh.
4. Steady Growth in Representation: Since 2019-20, the percentage has steadily increased, with significant jumps observed in 2022-23 (51.3% to 52.3%) and 2023-24 (52.3% to 53.3%).
5. Contrast with Higher Education: While school education shows increasing gender parity, higher education remains male-dominated. According to the All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) data for 2021-22:
   • Women made up only 43% of teachers, compared to 57% men.
   • The gender gap in higher education teaching has remained largely static since 2018-19.
6. Significant Increase in Female Teachers in Private Schools: The rise in female representation in school education has been primarily driven by private schools.
   • In 2023-24, women made up 66% of private school teachers.
   • This marks a substantial increase from 2018-19, when women constituted 62.5% of private school teachers.
7. Gender Imbalance in Government Schools: Despite the overall growth in female teachers, government schools remain dominated by male teachers.
   • In 2023-24, 27.7 lakh men (57%) taught in government schools, compared to 22.7 lakh women (43%).
   • Over five years, the proportion of women in government schools increased only marginally, from 43% in 2018-19 to 46% in 2023-24.
8. Regional Variations: Some states have challenged the national trend of male dominance in government schools:
   • Kerala: Women make up 78% of government school teachers.
   • Tamil Nadu: Women represent 67% of the teaching workforce in government schools.
   • Punjab: Female teachers account for 64%.
   • Delhi: Women constitute 61% of government school teachers.

School Infrastructure

1. Significant gaps persist in infrastructure:
   • Functional Computers: Available in 57% of schools.
   • Internet Access: Provided in 54% of schools.
   • Accessibility (Ramps): Present in 52% of schools.
2. Underutilisation of Infrastructure: States like Assam, Odisha, and Karnataka reported low student-to-school ratios, indicating underused infrastructure.
3. Basic Amenities: Over 90% of schools have basic facilities like electricity and gender-specific toilets.

Challenges Faced by the Education System in India

1. Unequal Access to Education: Children in rural areas often do not have the same quality of schools as in urban areas. Poor families struggle to send their children to school due to financial pressures.
2. Low Quality of Education: Teachers are not always well-trained, and teaching methods are outdated. Schools often focus on memorization instead of practical learning and problem-solving skills.
3. Students Dropping Out: Many students, especially in higher classes, leave school because their families need money, or they lose interest in studies. Early marriages and social pressures also contribute to high dropout rates.
4. Poor Infrastructure: Many schools lack basic facilities like clean toilets, safe drinking water, and electricity. Advanced facilities like computers and internet are available only in a few schools.
5. Overloaded Curriculum: Students face pressure from an overly packed syllabus with little focus on extracurricular activities or skill-building.
6. Limited Resources: Schools do not get enough funding, which leads to a shortage of teachers and learning materials.
7. Technology Gap: Rural schools have little access to modern technology, creating a digital divide between urban and rural education.

Government Initiatives and Policies