New Delhi: India now has over 1.02 crore (1,02,73,020) teachers working in around 14.66 lakh (14,66,682) schools across the country. The country has also nearly 24.72 crore (24,72,19,766) students, and the dropout rate declined from 2.3 per cent in 2024-25 to 1.8 per cent in 2025-26, according to the Ministry of Education’s UDISE report.
The report shows that number of teachers employed in schools climbed from 94.8 lakh in 2022-23 to 98 lakh in 2023-24, crossed the crore mark at 1.01 crore in 2024-25, and 1.02 crore in 2025-26. The ministry has called it “a significant achievement in the history of school education in India” and credited schemes like Samagra Shiksha and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 behind the achievement.
Reduction in dropout rates
The report showed that there is a notable reduction in dropout rates across primary and secondary levels. “At the preparatory level, the dropout rate declined from 2.3 per cent in 2024-25 to 1.8 per cent in 2025-26, and at the secondary level from 8.2 per cent to 7 per cent,” the report said.
Enrolment in schools increased
The total enrolment in schools has increased from 24.6 lakhs in 2025 to 24.72 lakhs, however, the enrolment in government institutions dropped by 26.8 lakh, falling from 12.1 crore in 2024-25 to 11.8 crore this year. Simultaneously the enrollment in private schools saw an increase of approximately 30 lakh students.
Moreover there is also a change in level-wise enrolment pattern. Enrolment in secondary school rose by about 31.5 lakh between 2023-24 and 2025-26, while enrolment to preparatory fell by 42 lakh. At the secondary level the GRE shot up from 68.5 per cent in 2023-24 to 71.7 per cent in 2025-26.
Zero enrollment and single teacher schools
This report also notes a decline in the number of zero enrollment schools, as well as in single teacher schools. Single teacher schools have reduced by around 3% this year as compared to the previous ones. Similarly the number of schools with zero enrolment also declined by approximately 2 per cent.
An improved transition rate
The current academic year has also witnessed improvement in transition rates in educational stages. According to the ministry the improvement indicates a stronger progression of students through the education system and that more learners continued their studies without dropping out.
From foundational to preparatory stage, the transition increased to 99.2 per cent in 2025-26 as compared to 98.6 per cent in 2024-25.
The data further reveals that the transition rate increased in middle and secondary stages as well- from preparatory to middle stage from 92.2 per cent to 93.8 per cent, and from middle to secondary stage from 86.6 per cent in 2024-25 to 88.3 per cent in 2025-26.
