NEW DELHI: The number of govt elementary schools across the country fell by nearly 10,000 in a year, with Meghalaya, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh recording the steepest declines, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday.UDISE+ data showed that the number of elementary-level govt schools declined from 8,89,806 in 2024-25 to 8,79,940 in 2025-26 – a reduction of 9,866 schools, or about 1.1%.The govt data was provided in response to a question from DMK MP T R Baalu on whether a large number of elementary schools had been closed because of insufficient student strength and the steps being taken to prevent dropouts. However, the education ministry did not specify how many of the schools were actually closed due to lack of students, while furnishing the overall number of govt elementary schools in the two academic years.Meghalaya recorded the biggest numerical decline, with the number of govt elementary schools falling from 7,633 to 5,459, a drop of 2,174. Telangana followed with a reduction of 1,961 schools, from 22,983 to 21,022, while Andhra Pradesh saw its count decline by 1,446, from 37,449 to 36,003.Madhya Pradesh had 1,043 fewer schools, Karnataka 615, West Bengal 587, Rajasthan 473 and Maharashtra 357. Himachal Pradesh recorded a decline of 259 schools, while Assam had 209 fewer. Uttar Pradesh, which continues to have the largest network of govt elementary schools, saw the number fall marginally from 1,34,115 to 1,33,948.Not every state recorded a decline. Bihar’s count rose from 66,803 to 66,915, while Chhattisgarh increased from 43,836 to 43,853. The numbers remained unchanged in Jammu & Kashmir, Puducherry and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
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The ministry said opening, closing and rationalisation of schools fall within the jurisdiction of state and UT govts since education is on the Concurrent List.At the same time, it said access to schooling had improved. The Gross Access Ratio rose between 2018-19 and 2025-26 from 96.49 to 98.14 at upper-primary level, from 88.24 to 95.05 at secondary level and from 65.05 to 94.79 at higher-secondary level.The Centre said states were being supported through Samagra Shiksha and PM POSHAN, besides assistance for school infrastructure, residential schools and hostels, transport facilities, enrolment drives, textbooks and uniforms to curb dropouts and improve enrolment.
