The latest Unified District Information System for Education Plus report for 2025-26 has highlighted significant changes in India’s school education system, including developments in government schools, teacher availability, student retention and infrastructure.
The UDISE Plus 2025-26 report was released by the Union Ministry of Education in July 2026. The system is the government’s official education data platform and collects information on schools, students, teachers and infrastructure across the country.
The latest figures show that the number of teachers across the country has continued to increase. According to the Education Ministry, India had 1,02,73,020 teachers in 2025-26, compared with 1,01,22,420 in 2024-25. The ministry said the total number of teachers has increased by 8.3 percent compared with 2022-23.
One of the significant findings concerns schools operating with a single teacher. The number of single-teacher schools declined from 1,04,125 in 2024-25 to 1,00,843 in 2025-26. The ministry described this as a positive development and said the data could help in planning teacher allocation and improving pupil-teacher ratios.
The number of schools reporting zero student enrolment also declined substantially. According to the UDISE Plus data, such schools fell from 7,993 in 2024-25 to 5,663 in 2025-26. This represents a reduction of around 29 percent in one year.
The latest data also shows improvements in pupil-teacher ratios across different stages of school education. The pupil-teacher ratio was reported at 10 students per teacher at the foundational level, 12 at the preparatory level, 17 at the middle level and 21 at the secondary level in 2025-26.
The Education Ministry has linked these improvements to efforts to strengthen teacher availability and improve learning conditions.
Student retention has also shown improvement at the middle and secondary levels. The retention rate at the middle level increased from 82.8 percent in 2024-25 to 83.7 percent in 2025-26. At the secondary level, the retention rate rose from 47.2 percent to 51.9 percent during the same period.
The report also recorded a reduction in dropout rates. At the preparatory level, the dropout rate declined from 2.3 percent in 2024-25 to 1.8 percent in 2025-26. At the secondary level, the rate declined from 8.2 percent to 7 percent.
Another important indicator is the Gross Enrolment Ratio at the secondary level. The ratio increased from 68.5 percent in 2024-25 to 71.7 percent in 2025-26, according to the ministry.
The transition of students between different stages of school education also improved. The transition rate from the foundational stage to the preparatory stage increased from 98.6 percent to 99.2 percent. The transition rate from preparatory to middle school increased from 92.2 percent to 93.8 percent, while the transition rate from middle to secondary education increased from 86.6 percent to 88.3 percent.
Infrastructure indicators have also shown progress. The percentage of schools with access to computers increased from 64.7 percent in 2024-25 to 69.9 percent in 2025-26. Internet access also improved, rising from 63.5 percent to 67.4 percent.
Basic facilities have continued to expand. The ministry reported that 95 percent of schools had electricity in 2025-26, while 99.5 percent had access to drinking water. Girls’ toilets were available in 98.5 percent of schools and boys’ toilets in 97.2 percent. Handwashing facilities were available in 96.9 percent of schools.
The data also shows an increase in accessibility measures for students with disabilities. The percentage of schools equipped with ramps and handrails increased from 54.9 percent in 2024-25 to 58.2 percent in 2025-26.
Female participation in school education has also continued to improve. Girls accounted for 48.4 percent of total enrolment in 2025-26, compared with 48.3 percent in the previous academic year. Female teachers represented 54.9 percent of the teaching workforce, up from 54.2 percent in 2024-25.
While the latest figures show improvements in several areas, changes in the number and distribution of government schools remain an important issue for education planning. School consolidation, changes in enrolment, population movement and the availability of teachers can all influence the structure of the government school network.
The government has increasingly used UDISE Plus data to identify schools with low or zero enrolment and to plan the allocation of teachers and other resources. The decline in single-teacher and zero-enrolment schools indicates that the school network is undergoing continued restructuring.
However, the closure or consolidation of schools can also raise concerns about accessibility, particularly in rural, remote and geographically difficult areas. Any changes to school locations need to consider the distance students must travel, availability of transport and the impact on disadvantaged communities.
The latest UDISE Plus findings therefore provide a broader picture than school numbers alone. While some government schools may have been consolidated or reorganised, the country has also recorded improvements in teacher numbers, student retention, dropout rates and basic infrastructure.
The data shows that India's school education system is undergoing significant changes as authorities attempt to balance access, resources and educational quality.
The UDISE Plus 2025-26 report provides detailed information on school education across states and union territories. The data is expected to remain an important reference for policymakers while planning future investments in government schools, teacher deployment, digital infrastructure and student welfare.