Government elementary schools drop by nearly 10,000 in one year, data shows
Official figures reveal a fall of 9,866 government-run elementary schools nationwide between 2024-25 and 2025-26, a 1.1% decline.
During a parliamentary session, figures from the UDISE+ system showed that government elementary schools fell by 9,866, moving from 8,89,806 in 2024-25 to 8,79,940 in 2025-26, a drop of about 1.1%. Meghalaya experienced the largest numerical loss, shedding 2,174 schools, followed by Telangana with 1,961 closures and Andhra Pradesh with 1,446. Other states with notable declines included Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Assam.
Conversely, Bihar and Chhattisgarh saw slight increases, while Jammu & Kashmir, Puducherry and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands reported no change. The education ministry noted that school openings and closures are state responsibilities and highlighted improvements in overall access ratios at higher education levels.
Why it matters
A shrinking network of government schools could affect access to education for millions of children across India.
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