Out-of-School-Children-in-India-by-ArunCMehta-UDISEPlus-2024-25.
Out-of-school-children-India-UDISE2024-25.pdf
Where Are India’s Out-of-School Children in 2026?
Where Are India’s Out-of-School Children in 2026? [PDF]
Out-of-School Children in India: A Comprehensive Analysis Based on UDISE+ 2024-25
Author: Prof. Arun C. Mehta, Former Professor & Head of the EMIS Department, NIEPA, New Delhi
Publication Date: 14th March 2026
Primary Source: UDISE+ 2024-25, Ministry of Education, Government of India (released 28 August 2025).
Trends in age specific enrolment ratio 2020-21 to 2024-25 UDISEPlus.
Abstract
Around 46 million children in the 6 to 17-year age group are currently out of school in India, representing approximately 17 per cent of the country’s 6–17-year-old population. This article presents a verified, data-grounded analysis of Out-of-School Children (OOSC) using UDISE+ 2024-25, built on the Age-Specific Enrolment Ratio (ASER) methodology. It covers definitions, estimation methodology, All-India and state-wise estimates, trend analysis, dropout and retention rates, and policy implications for NEP 2020’s 2030 targets.
Trends in age specific enrolment ratio 2020-21 to 2024-25 UDISEPlus.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Defining Out-of-School Children: Why Precision Matters
- Methodology for Estimating OOSC from UDISE+ 2024-25
- Enrolment Ratios at the All-India Level: UDISE+ 2024-25
- All-India OOSC Estimates: UDISE+ 2024-25
- Trend Analysis: ASER Across UDISE+ Years
- The Two-Method Estimation Problem: A Data Reliability Issue
- Dropout Rates, Retention, and Their Relationship to OOSC
- State-Wise OOSC Analysis
- Policy Implications: NEP 2020 Targets and the Path Forward
- Concluding Observations
Key Findings
- ~46 million children aged 6–17 are out of school in India (UDISE+ 2024-25)
- This represents approximately 17% of India’s 6–17-year-old population (~280 million)
- Primary stage (6–10 yrs): ASER 83.2%; ~19.3 million OOSC — the largest absolute burden
- Upper Primary (11–13 yrs): ASER 92.7%; ~5.2 million OOSC — lowest rate, but grade-misalignment persists.
- Secondary (14–15 yrs): ASER 77.3%; ~10.7 million OOSC; OOSC rate 22.7%
- Higher Secondary (16–17 yrs): ASER 77.2%; ~10.8 million OOSC; OOSC rate 22.8%
- UP and Bihar together account for ~58% of the national elementary-level OOSC
- Secondary retention: only 47.2% of Class I entrants survive to Class X
References and Data Sources
1. Primary Data Sources
- Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. (2025). UDISE+ 2024-25. DSE&L, New Delhi. Released 28 August 2025. https://udiseplus.gov.in
- Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. (2024). UDISE+ 2023-24. DSE&L, New Delhi. Released 30 December 2024. https://udiseplus.gov.in
- Ministry of Education / PIB. (2025). Key Highlights — UDISE+ 2024-25. PIB Press Release No. 2161543, 28 August 2025. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2161543
2. UIS-UNESCO Methodological References
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). (2021). Metadata for SDG Indicator 4.1.4: Out-of-school rate. Montreal: UIS. https://tcg.uis.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2021/09/Metadata-4.1.4.pdf
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). Out-of-School Children and Youth (Topic Page). https://uis.unesco.org/en/topic/out-school-children-and-youth
- UNICEF & UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (2016). Monitoring Education Participation: Framework for Monitoring Children and Adolescents who are Out of School or at Risk of Dropping Out. UNICEF. https://uis.unesco.org/en/blog/helping-countries-improve-their-data-out-school-children
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (2019). New Methodology Shows that 258 Million Children, Adolescents and Youth Are Out of School. UIS Fact Sheet No. 56. Montreal: UIS. https://uis.unesco.org/en/blog/are-education-goals-out-reach
3. Author’s Related Analyses — educationforallinindia.com
- Mehta, A. C. (2025). Out-of-School Children (OOSC) in the Light of UDISEPlus 2023-24 Data and its Implications on NEP 2020 Goals. https://educationforallinindia.com/out-of-school-children-oosc-in-the-light-of-udiseplus-2023-24-data-and-its-implications-on-nep-2020-goals/
- Mehta, A. C. (2025). State-wide Out-of-School Children based on UDISE Plus 2023-24. https://educationforallinindia.com/state-wide-out-of-school-children-out-of-school-children-based-on-udise-plus-2023-24/
- Mehta, A. C. (2025). Analysis of UDISE+ 2024-25 Data. https://educationforallinindia.com/analysis-of-udise-2024-25-data-by-prof-arun-c-mehta/
- Mehta, A. C. (2025). Decoding Enrolment Ratios: An Analysis of UDISE+ 2020-21 to 2024-25 Data. https://educationforallinindia.com/decoding-enrolment-ratios-an-analysis-of-udise-2020-21-to-2024-25-data/
- Mehta, A. C. (2025). What Do UDISE+ 2024-25 Enrolment Ratios Reveal About Universal Secondary Education in India? https://educationforallinindia.com/what-does-udise-2024-25-enrolment-ratios-reveal-about-universal-secondary-education-in-india/
- Mehta, A. C. (2025). State of Dropout, Transition and Retention Rates based on UDISEPlus 2024-25 Data. https://educationforallinindia.com/state-of-dropout-transition-and-retention-rates-based-on-udiseplus-2024-25-data/
- Mehta, A. C. (2025). Enrolment Crisis: Why School Enrolment Hit a 7-Year Low in UDISE+ 2024-25. https://educationforallinindia.com/enrolment-crisis-why-school-enrolment-hit-a-7-year-low-in-udise-2024-25/
- Out-of-School Children in India: A Comparative Analysis of UDISE+ 2024-25 and PLFS 2023-24
Out-of-School-Children-in-India-UDISEPlus-2024-25.
