Trends in UDISEPlus Key (Data) Indicators from 2020-21 to 2023-24

Introduction

The Unified District Information System for Education Plus data from 2020-21 to 2023-24 provides a detailed overview of the school education system in India. This analysis covers trends in school numbers, enrollment, teacher statistics, performance indicators, infrastructure, equity, and a state-wise evaluation. While progress has been made on specific components of universal school education, significant challenges remain, particularly in reducing dropout rates, improving secondary education retention, and enhancing digital learning access.

National Highlights of the UDISEplus data 2021-22, 2022-23 to 2023-24

This brief analysis of the state of school education is exclusively based on UDISEPlus data from 2020-21 to 2023-24; incidentally, 2023-24 is the latest year for which UDISEPlus data is available. The mode of analysis is focused on all-India and state levels concerning all the major parameters that have implications for the goal of universal school education, which is envisaged to be achieved by 2030.

1. Number of Schools: A Declining Trend

The total number of schools in India (Primary to Higher Secondary levels) has declined over the past four years, reflecting school closures, mergers, and consolidations:

• 2020-21: 1,509,136
• 2021-22: 1,489,115
• 2022-23: 1,466,109
• 2023-24: 1,471,891

This represents a reduction of 37,245 schools since 2020-21. The decline is observed across government, government-aided, and private unaided recognized schools. For example, government schools decreased from 1,032,179 in 2020-21 to 1,017,660 in 2023-24, while private unaided schools declined from 343,314 to 331,108.

Key areas for Concerns

• Accessibility in rural areas due to school closures.
• Potential overcrowding in schools that absorbed students from closed institutions.
• After the school closures, mergers, and consolidations of schools, all locations, predominantly rural areas, may not have had access to schooling facilities as per the RTE 2009 norms, but no such information is available in the public domain.

2. Student Enrollment: A Worrisome Decline?

Student enrollment across all education levels has seen a notable decline:

• 2020-21: 264,449,987
• 2021-22: 265,235,830
• 2022-23: 251,791,722
• 2023-24: 248,045,828

This marks a decline of 16.4 million students between 2021-22 and 2023-24.

Major Observations

• Primary enrollment dropped from 122 million (2020-21) to 107.8 million (2023-24), indicating early-stage dropouts. Is the decline due to the Student Data Management Information System (SDMIS) introduced during 2022-23 data collection as a part of UDISEPlus?
• Socio-economic factors and demographic changes may contribute to this decline, but no concrete observations can be made without the latest Census figures.
• Elimination of duplicate/ghost entries may have led to improved data accuracy. Is the data now more accurate than in the past? Every time there is a decline in enrollment, enrollment is said to be more realistic than in previous years.

3. Teacher Statistics: Improvements in PTR

The number of teachers has fluctuated but increased in 2023-24:

• 2020-21: 9,696,425
• 2021-22: 9,507,123
• 2022-23: 9,483,294
• 2023-24: 9,807,600

Key Insights

• The pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) has improved, dropping from 26:1 in 2020-21 to 21:1 in 2023-24, indicating better teacher availability.
• Government schools saw an increase in teachers from 4.92 million (2020-21) to 5.03 million (2023-24).

Challenges

• Uneven teacher distribution between rural and urban areas, because of which there were 1,10,971 single-teacher schools; it is not the shortage of teachers, but the deployment of teachers is an issue of concern.
• Shortage of subject-specific teachers, especially in secondary and higher secondary schools, is another area of concern.

4. Performance Indicators: Enrollment & Dropout Trends

Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) Trends

• Primary Level: Decreased from 103.3 percent (2020-21) to 93.0 percent (2023-24).
• Upper Primary Level: Declined from 92.2 percent to 89.7 percent.
• Secondary Level: Dropped from 79.8 percent to 77.4 percent.
• Higher Secondary Level: Reduced slightly from 53.8 percent to 56.2 percent.

Dropout Rates

• Primary Level: Increased from 0.8 percent (2020-21) to 7.8 percent (2022-23), before improving to 1.9 percent (2023-24).
• Secondary Level: Remains high at 14.1 percent (2023-24), indicating poor retention beyond middle school.

5. School Infrastructure: Progress & Gaps

Infrastructure Improvements

• Electricity availability: Increased from 91.7 percent (2022-23) to 91.8 percent (2023-24).
• Drinking water facilities: Consistently available in 98.3 percent of schools.
• Functional toilets: Available in 98.6 percent of schools.

Gaps in Digital Learning

• Computers are available in only 57.2 percent of schools.
• Internet connectivity remains low at 53.9 percent, limiting digital learning initiatives.

6. Equity & Inclusion: Social Representation in Schools

Enrollment by Social Categories (2023-24)

• Scheduled Castes (SC): 18 percent
• Scheduled Tribes (ST): 9.9 percent
• Other Backward Classes (OBC): 45.2 percent
• Minorities: 22.8 percent
• Girls’ Enrollment: 48.5 percent

Key areas for Concerns

• Dropout rates among SC, ST, and OBC students remain high.
• Gender parity is improving, but secondary-level dropout rates for girls remain a challenge.

7. State-wise Education Performance

Best Performing States

• Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Goa → High GER, low dropout rates, and strong infrastructure.

States Needing Urgent Attention

• Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan → Low GER, high dropout rates, and poor teacher availability.
• North-eastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya) → High dropout rates, especially among tribal students.

State-Wise Table: Key Indicators, 2023-24

State	GER (Primary)	Dropout Rate (Secondary)	Pupil-Teacher Ratio	Key Concern
Kerala	98 percent+	Below 3 percent	15:1	Near universal school education.
Tamil Nadu	97 percent+	Below 5 percent	17:1	Strong retention & infrastructure.
Bihar	85 percent-	Above 20 percent	40:1	Highest dropout rate & teacher shortage.
Uttar Pradesh	86 percent-	Above 18 percent	38:1	High student-teacher ratio.
Jharkhand	87 percent-	Above 15 percent	32:1	Tribal areas lagging in retention.
Rajasthan	89 percent-	Above 17 percent	33:1	Gender disparity in education.
Delhi	96 percent+	Below 5 percent	20:1	Strong digital learning access.

8. Policy Recommendations

• Increase Enrollment and Retain Students → Special drives, scholarships, and flexible learning options.
• Improve Secondary Retention Rate → Strengthen vocational training and bridge programs.
• Enhance Digital Infrastructure → Provide computers and internet access in rural schools.
• Address Teacher Shortages → Hire more teachers, especially in underserved areas.
• Community Engagement → Strengthen school management committees and parent involvement.
• Focus on Tribal & Rural Education → Provide hostel facilities, transport, and community-based education programs.

Concluding Observations

While India has made notable progress in school education, challenges like declining enrollment, high secondary dropouts, and digital access gaps remain. Addressing these requires state-specific interventions, stronger policies, and enhanced infrastructure investment to achieve Education for All.

Education for All in India