The Ministry of Education has revealed a troubling decline in school enrollment for the academic year 2023-24. According to the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) Plus data, there was a significant drop of 37 lakh students compared to the previous year. The number of enrolled students in 2022-23 was 25.17 crore, which fell to 24.80 crore in 2023-241.

The decline was observed across both genders, with female students dropping by 16 lakh and male students by 21 lakh. The representation of minorities in total enrollment stood at around 20%, with Muslims making up the majority at 79.6%1.

A notable aspect of this year’s data collection was the voluntary submission of Aadhaar numbers, which helped identify “ghost students” and transfer benefits to deserving students. Over 19.7 crore students provided their Aadhaar numbers by 2023-241.

Officials have clarified that the data reflects real changes from previous years, as this is the first time individual student-wise data has been collected at the national level. This new method aims to provide a more accurate picture of the education system and help monitor student progression more effectively1.

The decline in enrollment highlights the need for targeted efforts to curb dropouts and ensure universal access to education, aligning with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

  decline in school enrollment, Ministry of Education