India's Elementary Schools See an 8% Drop in Children's Enrolment Over Two Years
Something surprising has happened in schools across India. In just two years, the number of children joining elementary classes has dropped by 8%, according to government data. That means fewer kids are sitting in classrooms, learning, playing, and growing. And that’s something we all need to talk about.
This drop in school enrolment was shared in Parliament by Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Mr. Durgadas Uikey. The data shows that tribal children — who often live in remote areas — have been affected the most.
The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), which shows how many children are attending school compared to the expected number, has gone down. For tribal students in elementary school (Classes 1 to 8), the GER fell from 103.4% in 2021–22 to 97.1% in 2023–24. For all children combined, it dropped from 100.13% to 91.7%. That’s quite a big change!
And it’s not just in elementary school. In secondary classes (9–10), enrolment also dropped — from 78.1% to 76.9% for tribal students and from 79.56% to 77.4% for everyone. The numbers dipped even more in senior secondary classes (11–12), going from 52% to 48.7% for tribal students and from 57.56% to 56.2% for all students.
So, what’s causing this? Experts say it could be because of:
Financial difficulties faced by families
Lack of proper school buildings and teachers
Long distances between homes and schools
In fact, some states like Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh have schools with very few students. Meanwhile, Telangana, West Bengal, and Punjab have schools that are too crowded or don’t have enough facilities.
Many people are asking the government to take action quickly. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari even spoke about this in the Rajya Sabha. He pointed to a report from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) and said the situation needs urgent attention.
Education experts also agree — schools need better infrastructure, and families need more help. Because when kids don’t go to school, they miss out on important learning and a brighter future.
Let’s all hope that every child gets a chance to sit in a classroom, make friends, learn new things, and chase their dreams!
Fun Facts:
📚 GER can be more than 100% when kids outside the expected age group also join school — like younger students or repeaters!
🧑🏫 India has more than 14 lakh schools — that's like a giant learning network across the country!
🌍 Learning is a right for every child — and school is one of the best places to start dreaming big!
News source - India Today