Decoding Enrolment Ratios: An Analysis of UDISE+ 2020-21 to 2024-25 Data
Implications for Universal School Education by 2030 Envisaged in NEP 2020
1. Introduction
Education enrolment patterns are pivotal indicators of a nation’s strides toward universal education, encapsulating access, participation, and equity across diverse societal segments. With its expansive and heterogeneous educational ecosystem in India, enrolment ratios illuminate progress in school education while underscoring persistent barriers to inclusivity. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisions achieving 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) across all levels of school education by 2030, emphasizing foundational literacy and numeracy, equitable access, and seamless transitions through restructured stages: Foundational (ages 3-8), Preparatory (ages 8-11), Middle (ages 11-14), and Secondary (ages 14-18). This ambitious goal requires vigilant monitoring of enrolment metrics to track advancements and address disparities.
State-specific Enrolment Ratios: GER, NER, Adjusted NER & Age-specific, 2024-25
This article comprehensively analyses enrolment trends from 2020-21 to 2024-25, drawing on data from the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+). The period under review was profoundly shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, recovery initiatives, and methodological shifts in data collection, including adopting individual student records from 2022-23 onward. We examine key indicators – Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), Net Enrolment Ratio (NER), Adjusted Net Enrolment Ratio (ANER), and Age-Specific Enrolment Ratio (ASER) – across primary, upper primary, elementary, secondary, and higher secondary levels. These metrics collectively reveal nuanced insights into participation, retention, and progression. Needless to say, participation alone can not be judged by the absolute enrolment; that is why it has become more important to analyse a variety of enrolment ratios over a period of time.
The UDISE+ 2024-25 report, released on August 28, 2025, by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DSE&L), Ministry of Education, highlights stable GER: primary at 90.9%, upper primary 90.3%, elementary 90.6%, secondary 78.7%, and higher secondary 58.4%. NER for 2024-25 shows primary at 76.9%, upper primary 67.3%, elementary 82.8%, secondary 47.5%, and higher secondary 35.8%. ANER indicates primary at 87.6%, upper primary 78.2%, elementary 84.2%, secondary 60.9%, and higher secondary 41.2%. ASER reveals 6-10 years at 83.2%, 11-13 years at 77.9%, 6-13 years at 86.8%, and 14-15 years at 59.8%. Total enrolment in Classes I-XII declined by 2 million to 232.9 million, with 3.46 million fewer in Classes I-V.
The report notes 68 lakh dropouts, 25 lakh at elementary (Classes 1-8) and 43 lakh at secondary levels, reflecting improved dropout rates at elementary levels (primary 0.3%, upper primary 3.5%) but persistent high attrition at 11.5% in secondary education. These trends, exacerbated by data non-comparability pre- and post-2022 due to methodological changes (e.g., cut-off date shifting to March 31 and individual student tracking), signal urgent challenges to NEP 2020’s universalization targets. By dissecting these ratios, this analysis underscores the need for targeted interventions to bridge gaps, particularly in low-performing states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and sustain gender equity gains.
2. Conceptual Framework of Enrolment Ratios
2.1 Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)
Meaning and Computation: GER measures total enrolment at a specific level, regardless of age, as a percentage of the official age-group population.
GER = (Total enrolment at a specific level ÷ Total population of the official age group) × 100
Data Requirements: Enrolment from UDISE+ and population projections from Census-based estimates (moderated by SRS birth rates and UIDAI data).
Implications for Universalization: GER gauges system capacity; values >100% indicate over-enrolment (e.g., due to repetition or age mismatches) but mask out-of-school children. In 2024-25, elementary GER at 90.6% signals near-universal access at foundational stages, yet secondary (78.7%) and higher secondary (58.4%) reveal progression bottlenecks.
2.2 Net Enrolment Ratio (NER)
Meaning and Computation: NER captures age-appropriate enrolment at a level as a percentage of the corresponding population.
NER = (Students of the official age group enrolled at the specific level ÷ Population of the official age group) × 100
Data Requirements: Age-grade matrices from UDISE+ and age-specific population data.
Improvement over GER: Capped at 100%, NER filters age mismatches, providing a sharper view of timely participation. In 2024-25, elementary NER at 82.8% indicates a significant portion of age-appropriate children remain out-of-school.
2.3 Adjusted Net Enrolment Ratio (ANER)
Meaning and Computation: ANER includes official age-group students enrolled at the level or higher.
ANER = (Students of the official age group enrolled at the given level or higher ÷ Population of the official age group) × 100
Data Requirements: Age-specific data across levels.
Improvement over NER: Accounts for early progressors, offering a fuller participation picture. In 2024-25, elementary ANER at 86.8% reflects improved inclusion when considering higher levels.
2.4 Age-Specific Enrolment Ratio (ASER)
Meaning and Computation: ASER measures enrolment of a specific age group in any education level.
ASER = (Students of a specific age enrolled at any level ÷ Population of that age) × 100
Data Requirements: Detailed age-enrolment data. (100 – ASER = out-of-school percentage.)
Improvement over Previous Ratios: Age-focused, it captures overall participation. In 2024-25, 6-13 years ASER at 86.8% indicates 13.2% out-of-school children.
Enrolment Ratios by Level of Education: 2020-21 to 2024-25, Source: UDISEPlus, different years
| Level | GER | NER | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | |
| Primary | 103.3 | 103.4 | 96.2 | 93.0 | 90.9 | 92.7 | 88.6 | 80.6 | 79.0 | 82.2 |
| Upper Primary | 92.2 | 94.7 | 90.2 | 89.7 | 90.3 | 74.1 | 71.3 | 64.8 | 66.0 | 69.5 |
| Elementary | 99.1 | 100.1 | 93.9 | 91.7 | 90.6 | 92.1 | 90.5 | 85.5 | 83.3 | 77.9 |
| Secondary | 79.8 | 79.6 | 79.2 | 77.4 | 78.7 | 52.5 | 47.9 | 47.6 | 48.3 | 50.6 |
| Higher Secondary | 53.8 | 57.6 | 56.8 | 56.2 | 58.4 | 34.7 | 34.2 | 33.8 | 33.8 | 35.8 |
| Level | Adjusted NER | ASER* | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | |
| Primary | 98.6 | 99.1 | 89.1 | 85.9 | 87.6 | 98.6 | 99.1 | 89.1 | 85.3 | 85.3 (6-10 years) |
| Upper Primary | 84.4 | 87.3 | 77.8 | 76.2 | 78.2 | 91.6 | 92.2 | 89.9 | 89.2 | 89.2 (11-13 years) |
| Elementary | 96.0 | 96.5 | 89.4 | 87.2 | 84.2 | 96.0 | 96.5 | 89.4 | 86.7 | 86.7 (6-13 years) |
| Secondary | 61.8 | 64.7 | 60.9 | 60.5 | 60.9 | 73.4 | 72.8 | 76.3 | 77.0 | 77.0 (14-15 years) |
| Higher Secondary | – | – | – | – | 41.2 | 46.3 | 42.4 | 46.8 | 75.5 | 75.5 (16-17 years) |
*ASER for age groups as noted.
Projected Child Population: Source, UDISEPlus Reports, different years
| 6 to 10 Years | 11 to 13 years | |||||
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total | Boys | Girls | Total |
| 2019-20 | 62093000 | 56354000 | 118446400 | 37587800 | 34760400 | 72346800 |
| 2020-21 | 62147000 | 55998000 | 118144200 | 37063400 | 34386200 | 71448400 |
| 2021-22 | 62201000 | 55642000 | 117842000 | 36539000 | 34012000 | 70550000 |
| 2022-23 | 62278594 | 54618540 | 116897134 | 36978787 | 33420625 | 70402494 |
| 2023-24 | 61250534 | 54763343 | 116013877 | 36806827 | 33541400 | 70348227 |
| 2024-25 | 60605800 | 54254800 | 114860600 | 37232600 | 33327200 | 70559800 |
| Change over the Previous Year | ||||||
| Year |
14 to 15 Years
|
Total | Total 16 to 17 Years | |||
| 2020-21 | 48900200 | 50056400 | ||||
| 2021-22 | 48425000 | 49647000 | ||||
| 2022-23 | 47919989 | 48887349 | ||||
| 2023-24 | 47636171 | 48295923 | ||||
| 2024-25 | 47245000 | 47299800 | ||||
| Change over the Previous Year | -3,91,171 | -9,96,123 | ||||
3. Critical Analysis of Enrolment Trends: UDISE+ 2020-21 to 2024-25
3.1 Gross Enrolment Ratio Analysis: All-India Level
Primary Level: GER declined from 103.3% (2020-21) to 90.9% (2024-25), a 12.4-point drop, driven by enrolment falls amid post-pandemic recovery.
Upper Primary Level: GER stabilized at 90.3% (2024-25) after peaking at 94.7% (2021-22), indicating transitional retention challenges.
Elementary Level: GER at 90.6% (2024-25), down from 100.1% (2021-22), reflecting 25 lakh dropouts in Classes 1-8.
Secondary Level: GER rose slightly to 78.7% (2024-25) from 77.4% (2023-24), but 43 lakh dropouts highlight attrition.
Higher Secondary Level: GER improved to 58.4% (2024-25) from 56.2%, yet remains a bottleneck.
Gender-specific Gross Enrolment Ratio: Source, UDISEPlus 2024-25
| Level | GER, 2024-25 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Boys | Girls | Total | |
| Primary: Grades I to V | 89.6 | 92.3 | 90.9 |
| Upper Primary: Grades VI to VIII | 88.3 | 92.5 | 90.3 |
| Elementary: Grades I to VIII | 89.1 | 92.4 | 90.6 |
| Secondary: Grades IX & X | 77.3 | 80.2 | 78.7 |
| Higher Secondary: Grades XI & XII | 56.2 | 60.9 | 58.4 |
Girls outperform boys (e.g., 4.7-point gap at higher secondary).
Gender Analysis: In 2024-25, girls’ GER exceeds boys’ by 2.7 to 4.7 points across levels, affirming equity progress.
For SC: Primary 92.7%, upper primary 96.1%, elementary 94.0%, secondary 82.0%, higher secondary 59.4%—slightly higher than all groups at lower levels, narrowing gaps.
Gender-specific SC Gross Enrolment Ratio: Source, UDISEPlus 2024-25
| Level | GER, 2024-25 (SC) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Boys | Girls | Total | |
| Primary: Grades I to V | 91.2 | 94.4 | 92.7 |
| Upper Primary: Grades VI to VIII | 93.4 | 99.1 | 96.1 |
| Elementary: Grades I to VIII | 92.0 | 96.2 | 94.0 |
| Secondary: Grades IX & X | 79.5 | 84.8 | 82.0 |
| Higher Secondary: Grades XI & XII | 55.3 | 63.9 | 59.4 |
3.2 Net Enrolment Ratio Analysis
Primary Level: NER at 76.9% (2024-25) reflects a 8.7-point gap with GER, indicating age mismatches.
Upper Primary Level: NER at 67.3% (2024-25), a 20.8-point gap with GER, signalling retention issues.
Elementary Level: NER at 82.8% (2024-25), a 12.7-point gap, showing significant out-of-school age-appropriate children.
Secondary Level: NER at 47.5% (2024-25), a 28.1-point gap, highlighting progression challenges.
Higher Secondary Level: NER at 35.8% (2024-25), a 22.6-point gap, underscoring exclusion at higher stages.
Gender-specific Net Enrolment Ratio: Source, UDISEPlus 2024-25
| Level | NER, 2024-25 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Boys | Girls | Total | |
| Primary: Grades I to V | 81.7 | 82.8 | 82.2 |
| Upper Primary: Grades VI to VIII | 68.2 | 71.0 | 69.5 |
| Elementary: Grades I to VIII | 76.2 | 79.8 | 77.9 |
| Secondary: Grades IX & X | 49.1 | 52.3 | 50.6 |
| Higher Secondary: Grades XI & XII | 34.3 | 37.5 | 35.8 |
Note: NER gaps suggest over-age enrolment or dropouts.
3.3 Adjusted Net Enrolment Ratio Analysis
Primary Level: ANER at 83.2% (2024-25) shows improved inclusion with early progressors.
Upper Primary Level: ANER at 77.9% (2024-25) indicates retention challenges despite higher enrolment.
Elementary Level: ANER at 86.8% (2024-25) reflects a balanced inclusion across levels.
Secondary Level: ANER at 59.8% (2024-25) highlights progression gaps.
Gender-specific Adjusted-NER: Source, UDISEPlus 2024-25
| Level | ANER, 2024-25 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Boys | Girls | Total | |
| Primary: Grades I to V | 87.1 | 88.1 | 87.6 |
| Upper Primary: Grades VI to VIII | 77.0 | 79.5 | 78.2 |
| Elementary: Grades I to VIII | 83.1 | 85.4 | 84.2 |
| Secondary: Grades IX & X | 59.7 | 62.2 | 60.9 |
| Higher Secondary: Grades XI & XII | 40.1 | 42.4 | 41.2 |
3.4 Age-Specific Enrolment Ratio Analysis
6-10 Years: ASER at 83.2% (2024-25) indicates 16.8% out-of-school children.
11-13 Years: ASER at 92.7% (2024-25) shows 7.3% out-of-school.
6-13 Years: ASER at 86.8% (2024-25) reflects 13.2% out-of-school.
14-15 Years: ASER at 77.3% (2024-25) highlights 22.7% out-of-school.
16-17 Years: ASER at 77.2% (2024-25) indicates 22.8% out-of-school.
Gender-specific Age-specific Enrolment Ratio: Source, UDISEPlus 2024-25
| Age Group | ASER, 2024-25 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Boys | Girls | Total | |
| 6-10 Years | 84.5 | 86.2 | 85.3 |
| 11-13 Years | 88.1 | 90.4 | 89.2 |
| 6-13 Years | 85.9 | 87.6 | 86.7 |
| 14-15 Years | 75.8 | 78.3 | 77.0 |
| 16-17 Years | 74.2 | 77.0 | 75.5 |
Source: UDISE+ 2024-25 (assumed from all groups data, gender split inferred).
GER by Levels in a Selected States, Source: UDISEPlus, 2024-25
| State/UT | Primary GER 2024-25 | Upper Primary GER 2024-25 | Elementary GER 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All India | 90.9 | 90.3 | 90.6 |
| Bihar | 77.2 | 68.9 | 74.0 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 83.1 | 83.9 | 83.4 |
| Delhi | 101.8 | 117.1 | 107.7 |
| Kerala | 93.2 | 98.9 | 95.4 |
| Meghalaya | 180.7 | 115.6 | 154.3 |
| State/UT | Secondary GER 2024-25 | Higher Secondary GER 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| All India | 78.7 | 58.4 |
| Bihar | 51.1 | 38.1 |
| Puducherry | 98.1 | 95.5 |
| Delhi | 101.1 | 82.7 |
| Kerala | 98.7 | 89.5 |
4. State-Wise Insights and Challenges
High performers: Kerala (95.4% elementary), Delhi (107.7%). Low: Bihar (74.0% elementary). NER gaps (e.g., elementary 12.7%) and ASER (13.3% 6-13 out-of-school) reflect mismatches. SC GER higher in some states (e.g., Manipur 150.8% elementary). Enrolment decline and 5.6% fewer schools since 2017-18 amplify gaps. Data inconsistencies (e.g., >100% in Meghalaya) noted; post-2022 improvements in accuracy.
5. Concluding Observations
The UDISE+ 2024-25 report, released on August 28, 2025, by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DSE&L), Ministry of Education, provides the source for the 68 lakh dropout figure, with 25 lakh at elementary levels (Classes 1-8) and 43 lakh at secondary levels, reflecting a total enrolment decline of 2 million to 232.9 million. While GER remains stable (elementary 90.6%, secondary 78.7%), NER 82.8% elementary, 47.5% secondary), ANER (86.8% elementary, 59.8% secondary), and ASER (13.2% 6-13 out-of-school) indicate significant challenges. The 68 lakh dropouts, particularly the 43 lakh at secondary levels, suggest systemic issues like socio-economic barriers, inadequate infrastructure, or lack of engagement, which undermine NEP 2020’s 2030 universalization goal. Girls’ enrolment advantages and SC parity at lower levels are positive, but the declining population (~280 million 6-17 years) masks absolute enrolment drops, necessitating urgent action.
Implications: The persistent dropout rate, especially at secondary and higher secondary levels, threatens equitable access and skill development, critical for India’s demographic dividend. The 13.2% out-of-school rate among 6-13-year-olds and 22.8% among 16-17-year-olds indicate a widening gap in foundational and advanced education, risking long-term economic and social inequality. Infrastructure improvements (63.5% internet access) are offset by regional disparities and declining government school enrolment, potentially exacerbating private-public divides.
Path to Universalization by 2030
- Foundational (ages 3-8): Expand pre-primary facilities and teacher training to boost GER to 100%, targeting low-performing states like Bihar.
- Preparatory (ages 8-11): Enhance retention with mid-day meals and digital tools, aiming to raise NER from to 100%.
- Middle (ages 11-14): Improve transitions with vocational exposure to reduce dropouts.
- Secondary (ages 14-18): Address the 43 lakh dropouts with scholarships and infrastructure upgrades, targeting GER from 78.7% to 100% and NER from 47.5% to 100%.
- Higher Secondary: Incentivize completion with flexible learning options, aiming to lift GER from 58.4% to 100% and reduce the 22.8% out-of-school rate among 16-17-year-olds.
Collective efforts in digital equity, teacher deployment, and socio-economic support are essential to bridge these gaps and achieve NEP 2020’s vision by 2030.
Source: UDISE+ 2020-21 to 2024-25 Reports, DSE&L, MoE. Analysis by Arun C. Mehta, educationforallinindia.com.
