India had 9,866 fewer government elementary schools in 2025–26 than in 2024–25, with the number falling from 8,89,806 to 8,79,940, a decline of about 1.1%. Meghalaya recorded the largest numerical reduction, followed by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. However, the data does not establish that all 9,866 schools were closed because of low student enrolment; the Ministry of Education provided the overall school counts but did not give a separate figure for closures attributable to insufficient enrolment.
Introduction
India’s government elementary-school network recorded a significant year-on-year decline in 2025–26, with 9,866 fewer government elementary schools than the previous academic year.
The latest figures, based on UDISE+ data presented in Parliament, show that the number of government elementary schools decreased from 8,89,806 in 2024–25 to 8,79,940 in 2025–26. That represents a decline of approximately 1.1% in one year.
The largest numerical decline was reported in Meghalaya, where the number fell by 2,174. Telangana followed with a reduction of 1,961, while Andhra Pradesh recorded a decline of 1,446.
The figures have renewed attention on the changing structure of government schooling in India, particularly in areas where schools have small student populations.
But there is an important distinction between a decline in the number of schools recorded in UDISE+ data and a confirmed number of schools that were physically closed because of low enrolment.
The Ministry of Education did not specify how many of the 9,866 schools were closed specifically because they had insufficient students.
What Happened?
The latest data was brought to Parliament in August 2026 in response to a question concerning government elementary schools, including whether schools were being closed because of insufficient student strength and what measures were being taken to prevent students from dropping out.
According to the UDISE+ figures cited in the parliamentary response, government elementary schools numbered 8,89,806 in 2024–25.
In 2025–26, the figure was 8,79,940.
That means the reported number declined by:
- 9,866 schools
- Approximately 1.1% year on year
- From 8,89,806 to 8,79,940 government elementary schools
The UDISE+ system is operated by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education. It collects information from recognised schools across the country, covering areas such as school profiles, infrastructure, students and teachers. The government describes UDISE+ as its official school-education data collection and management system.
The key clarification
The headline figure should not automatically be interpreted as meaning that 9,866 government schools were shut down because there were not enough students.
That conclusion goes beyond what the data establishes.
The parliamentary information gave the number of government elementary schools recorded in the two academic years. It did not provide a separate breakdown showing exactly how many schools were closed because of low enrolment.
That distinction is important when interpreting the numbers.
Which States Recorded the Largest Declines?
The reduction was not evenly distributed across India.
The largest numerical changes reported in the UDISE+ figures included:
| State | Government elementary schools 2024–25 | Government elementary schools 2025–26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meghalaya | 7,633 | 5,459 | -2,174 |
| Telangana | 22,983 | 21,022 | -1,961 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 37,449 | 36,003 | -1,446 |
| Madhya Pradesh | — | — | -1,043 |
| Karnataka | — | — | -615 |
| West Bengal | — | — | -587 |
| Rajasthan | 50,288 | 49,815 | -473 |
| Maharashtra | — | — | -357 |
| Himachal Pradesh | — | — | -259 |
| Assam | — | — | -209 |
The available reporting based on the parliamentary data identifies Meghalaya as having the biggest numerical decline, followed by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Some states, however, moved in the opposite direction.
For example, Bihar’s government elementary-school count increased by 112, while Chhattisgarh recorded an increase of 17, according to the same data set.
This shows that the national decline does not represent a uniform pattern across every state.
Meghalaya Records the Sharpest Numerical Fall
Meghalaya stands out in the latest figures.
The number of government elementary schools in the state reportedly fell from 7,633 in 2024–25 to 5,459 in 2025–26, representing a reduction of 2,174 schools.
The size of the change is particularly notable because Meghalaya has a geographically challenging landscape and many communities are spread across rural and remote areas.
However, the available national-level parliamentary information does not establish a single cause for the reduction.
It would therefore be inaccurate to state that all 2,174 schools were shut solely because of low enrolment without additional state-level evidence.
Telangana Also Saw a Major Reduction
Telangana recorded the second-largest numerical decline.
Government elementary schools fell from 22,983 in 2024–25 to 21,022 in 2025–26, a reduction of 1,961 schools.
The number is close to 2,000, making Telangana one of the most significant contributors to the nationwide decline.
The data needs to be interpreted in the context of how school administration works in India. Education is a concurrent subject, and decisions concerning the opening, closing and rationalisation of schools are taken by state and Union Territory authorities.
Consequently, a national reduction in the UDISE+ count can reflect different administrative circumstances in different states.
Andhra Pradesh and Other States
Andhra Pradesh recorded the third-largest numerical reduction among the states highlighted in the available data.
Its government elementary-school count fell from 37,449 in 2024–25 to 36,003 in 2025–26, a reduction of 1,446 schools.
Madhya Pradesh also recorded a decline of more than 1,000, with 1,043 fewer government elementary schools reported.
Other states with reductions included Karnataka, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Assam.
At the same time, Bihar and Chhattisgarh recorded modest increases.
This variation matters because it suggests that the issue cannot be understood simply as a nationwide movement away from government schools.
Government School Numbers Are Not the Same as Student Enrolment
Another important part of the story is the difference between the number of schools and the number of students.
A reduction in the number of schools does not automatically mean that the same proportion of students have left government education.
Schools can be reorganised for a variety of administrative reasons. Smaller schools may be merged with nearby institutions, school categories can change, and states can rationalise their networks.
The Ministry’s parliamentary response did not attribute every reduction to low student strength.
That is why the most accurate description is that the number of government elementary schools recorded in UDISE+ declined by 9,866, rather than claiming that exactly 9,866 schools were closed because they had too few students.
What Does UDISE+ Tell Us About Government Schools?
UDISE+ is one of the country’s principal sources of official school-education data.
The Ministry of Education says the system collects school information each academic year, including details about recognised schools, individual students, teachers, infrastructure and facilities. Data is submitted and validated through administrative levels including blocks, districts and states.
The latest UDISE+ portal currently lists 10.05 lakh government schools across all school levels for academic year 2025–26.
That figure is different from the 8,79,940 government elementary schools discussed in the parliamentary data.
The difference exists because “government schools” across the entire school system and “government elementary schools” are not the same category.
This distinction is essential when comparing headlines and official statistics.
Is This Really a Record or the “Sharpest Drop”?
The supplied news topic refers to the “sharpest drop” in government school numbers.
The available 2025–26 data clearly shows a substantial one-year reduction of 9,866 government elementary schools, but the phrase “sharpest” needs context.
At the national level, the latest data establishes the size of the decline. It does not, by itself, establish that this is the largest annual decline ever recorded in India’s history.
Similarly, Meghalaya recorded the largest numerical reduction among states in the reported 2024–25 to 2025–26 comparison, but that should not automatically be interpreted as the largest percentage decline or the largest decline over all historical periods.
Using the precise statistical description avoids overstating what the data proves.
Background: Why Government School Numbers Change
Government school networks naturally change over time.
One factor can be student population and enrolment patterns. When fewer children live in a particular area or when enrolment becomes concentrated in larger schools, maintaining multiple very small schools can become difficult.
Another factor is school rationalisation.
State education departments may reorganise schools to improve teacher deployment, infrastructure use or administrative efficiency. Such decisions can involve mergers or changes in school classification.
There can also be changes in how institutions are categorised or recorded in administrative databases.
The UDISE+ system itself undergoes data collection and validation each academic year, meaning year-to-year figures should be interpreted within the definitions and reporting structure applicable to that academic year.
Low Enrolment Is an Important Part of the Debate
The parliamentary question that prompted the latest information specifically raised the issue of schools with insufficient student strength.
That makes low enrolment an important part of the policy discussion, but it does not prove that low enrolment caused every reduction in the national school count.
This distinction is particularly relevant in rural and remote communities.
For a family living close to a small government school, a merger with another school may mean that the child has to travel farther. In other circumstances, consolidation may provide access to better facilities, more teachers or a wider range of classes.
The practical effect therefore depends heavily on the location, distance, transport arrangements, student population and quality of the receiving school.
Government Schools and the Wider Education Picture
The decline in the number of government elementary schools comes amid broader changes in India’s school system.
UDISE+ data covers government, government-aided, private and other school-management categories. The official system therefore allows policymakers to examine not only how many schools exist, but also enrolment, teachers, facilities and other indicators.
Earlier UDISE+ reporting also showed that India’s overall school system had experienced changes in enrolment and school numbers.
The NITI Aayog’s recent education analysis, drawing on ASER data, has separately highlighted continuing differences between government and private schools in learning outcomes, while also noting that government-school performance improved in some areas after 2022.
That broader context matters because the number of schools alone cannot determine whether the education system is improving or deteriorating.
A meaningful assessment also requires information on:
- Student enrolment
- Teacher availability
- Pupil-teacher ratios
- School infrastructure
- Learning outcomes
- Distance to school
- Attendance and dropout
- Transition between education levels
- Access for children in remote communities
What Officials and Organizations Said
The latest figures came through the Ministry of Education’s parliamentary information and UDISE+ data.
The UDISE+ platform is officially maintained under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, and is described by the government as its official school-education data collection system.
The parliamentary information did not provide a state-by-state explanation for every reduction.
Most importantly, the Ministry did not establish that all 9,866 fewer schools were closed specifically because of insufficient student strength. That limitation should remain part of any accurate report on the numbers.
Why This Matters for Parents and Students
For families, the most important question is not simply how many schools disappeared from a national database.
The practical question is whether children continue to have accessible, adequately staffed and properly equipped schools.
If a small school is merged with another institution, families may experience different consequences depending on the distance between the two schools.
In some places, consolidation could potentially allow teachers and resources to be concentrated in better-equipped schools.
In others, particularly remote communities, increased travel distance could create additional challenges.
This is why the state-level and district-level details behind the national figure are important.
A national reduction of 9,866 schools is significant, but its impact cannot be measured accurately without knowing what happened to the students and teachers associated with those schools.
What Happens Next?
The next important step is closer examination of the state-level data.
The latest figures show where government elementary-school numbers changed, but they do not fully explain the reason for every change.
For policymakers and education departments, relevant questions include:
- How many schools were actually closed?
- How many were merged or rationalised?
- How many changed category or administrative status?
- How many had very low enrolment?
- Where did the affected students enrol?
- Did teacher deployment change?
- Did students have to travel farther?
- Were infrastructure and learning resources improved at receiving schools?
Answering those questions would provide a much clearer picture than the national school-count figure alone.
The UDISE+ system continues to collect annual school data, and the official portal is already reporting school statistics for the 2025–26 academic year.
The Bottom Line
The latest UDISE+ figures show a clear decline in India’s government elementary-school count: 8,89,806 schools in 2024–25 fell to 8,79,940 in 2025–26, a reduction of 9,866 schools or about 1.1%.
Meghalaya recorded the largest numerical decline at 2,174 schools, followed by Telangana at 1,961 and Andhra Pradesh at 1,446.
But the figures should not be described as proof that 9,866 schools were all shut because of low enrolment. The Ministry’s data does not provide that causal breakdown.
The more precise takeaway is that India’s government elementary-school network became smaller in the 2025–26 UDISE+ count, and the reasons and consequences of that change require state- and district-level examination.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many government elementary schools decreased in India in 2025–26?
The number fell by 9,866, from 8,89,806 in 2024–25 to 8,79,940 in 2025–26. That is a decline of approximately 1.1%.
2. Which state recorded the biggest decline in government elementary schools?
Meghalaya recorded the largest numerical decline, with 2,174 fewer government elementary schools, falling from 7,633 to 5,459.
3. Did 9,866 government schools definitely close because of low enrolment?
No. The available parliamentary data shows a decline in the number of government elementary schools but does not establish that all 9,866 were closed because of insufficient student numbers.
4. How many government elementary schools are there in India now?
The UDISE+ figures cited for 2025–26 put the number of government elementary schools at 8,79,940.
5. What happened to government schools in Telangana?
Telangana’s government elementary-school count fell from 22,983 in 2024–25 to 21,022 in 2025–26, a reduction of 1,961 schools.
6. What happened to government schools in Andhra Pradesh?
Andhra Pradesh recorded a decline of 1,446 government elementary schools, from 37,449 in 2024–25 to 36,003 in 2025–26.
7. Is the decline the same across every Indian state?
No. While many states recorded declines, some reported increases. Bihar’s government elementary-school count increased by 112, while Chhattisgarh recorded an increase of 17 in the cited comparison.
8. What is UDISE+?
UDISE+ stands for Unified District Information System for Education Plus. It is the Ministry of Education’s school-education data system, collecting information on recognised schools, students, teachers, infrastructure and other education indicators across India.
