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Over 65,000 Govt Schools Have Fewer Than 10 Students; 5,149 Report Zero Enrolment: Ministry Data

Wow, that's a surprising number of nearly empty schools across India. It really highlights how uneven student attendance is, especially in places like Telangana and West Bengal. You also have to wonder about all those teachers assigned to schools with almost no students to teach. Ultimately, it shows a big disconnect between where the school buildings are and where the kids actually are.

Key Points: 65,000+ Govt Schools Have <10 Students, 5,149 Zero Enrolment: Education Ministry Data

  • Ministry data reveals over 65,000 govt schools have critically low enrolment
  • Zero-enrolment schools see 24% rise over two years, hitting 5,149
  • Over 70% of schools with no students are in Telangana and West Bengal
  • Over 1.44 lakh teachers are posted in schools with minimal or no students
  • Low-enrolment schools now constitute 6.42% of all government schools
  • Data was shared in Lok Sabha in response to queries from MPs Karti Chidambaram and Amrinder Warring
2 min read

Over 65,000 govt schools have fewer than 10 students, 5,149 operate with zero enrolment: Ministry data

Ministry data reveals over 65,000 govt schools have fewer than 10 students, with 5,149 having zero enrolment. Over 1.44 lakh teachers are posted in such schools.

"Education is a subject under the Concurrent List of the Constitution and that the administration, recruitment and deployment of teachers in government schools fall under the jurisdiction of State governments and Union Territory administrations. - Ministry of Education / Official Source"

New Delhi, December 22

More than 65,000 government schools across India have fewer than 10 students, while 5,149 schools reported zero enrolment in 2024-25, according to official Ministry of Education data.

According to the Ministry of Education, more than 70 per cent of zero-enrolment schools are concentrated in Telangana and West Bengal, indicating sharp regional disparities in student attendance across the government school network.

The data, shared last week in a written reply to questions raised by MPs Karti P. Chidambaram and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring in the Lok Sabha, is based on information compiled through the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+).

Beyond schools with no students, the Ministry's data highlights a significant rise in institutions with critically low enrolment. The number of government schools with fewer than 10 or zero students increased by 24 per cent over the last two academic years, rising from 52,309 in 2022-23 to 65,054 in 2024-25.

These low-enrolment schools now account for 6.42 per cent of all government schools in the country, reflecting a growing mismatch between school infrastructure and actual student presence.

The data also show that over 1.44 lakh teachers were posted in schools with fewer than 10 or no students during the same period, raising questions about staff deployment and resource utilisation at the state level.

The Ministry clarified that education is a subject under the Concurrent List of the Constitution and that the administration, recruitment and deployment of teachers in government schools fall under the jurisdiction of State governments and Union Territory administrations. The Centre supports States and UTs through the Samagra Shiksha scheme to maintain prescribed pupil-teacher ratios and improve school infrastructure.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While the data is concerning, we must understand why. In many rural areas, families are moving to cities for work or sending children to private schools hoping for better English education. Simply closing schools isn't the answer. We need to improve the quality of education in government schools first.
R
Rohit P
The concentration in Telangana and West Bengal is telling. This shows a failure of state-level planning. What are the local MLAs and MPs doing? They should be held accountable for such poor utilisation of central funds like Samagra Shiksha. Voters need to ask tough questions.
S
Sarah B
From an outsider's perspective, this seems like a massive administrative challenge. Having so many underutilized schools must be incredibly inefficient. Could some of these buildings be repurposed as community centers or adult education hubs? There has to be a better use for the infrastructure.
M
Meera T
This is so sad. A school with zero children means a village without a future. It's not just about numbers, it's about the dreams of those communities. The government needs a special focus on reviving education in these pockets, maybe with incentives for families to send kids back.
D
David E
Respectfully, the Ministry's clarification about education being a concurrent subject feels like passing the buck. The Centre collects this data, provides major funding, and should enforce better accountability. A 24% increase in two years is a crisis that needs national-level intervention, not just state blame.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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