Enrollment drops by 25 lakh kids, but over 1 crore teachers onboard
India saw school enrollment fall by 11 lakh in 2024-25, dropping to 24.69 crore students—the second year in a row of decline, mostly among kids aged three to 11.
Interestingly, even with over one crore teachers now on board (up from 98 lakh last year), nearly 25 lakh fewer young children signed up.
Teens are staying in school
On the flip side, more teens are staying in school: enrollments for Classes 6-8 grew by 5.7 lakh and for Classes 9-12 by 8.1 lakh.
Gross enrollment ratios hit new highs—90.3% for middle and 68.5% for secondary levels—and dropout rates have dropped across all grades.
More girls, women teachers
Classrooms are less crowded than ever: early grades now average just 10 students per teacher, while secondary classes have 21—both better than national targets.
Plus, women now make up over half of all teachers, and girls' enrollment nudged up again to nearly half of all students.
Tech access growing
Tech access is growing too: nearly two-thirds of schools have computers and internet now.
Basic needs like water, electricity, and separate toilets are almost universal—showing steady progress even as overall numbers shift with changing demographics.