13 Schools Closed Daily Across the Country; Madhya Pradesh Sees Highest Closures; UDISE Report Reveals Startling Figures

A significant revelation has emerged from the Ministry of Education's UDISE Plus 2025-26 report. A total of 4,791 schools have closed across the country, with the highest number of closures occurring in Madhya Pradesh. Read the full report here.

The Ministry of Education's new UDISE Plus 2025-26 report regarding the state of schools in the country has been released. According to the report, an average of 13 schools closed daily throughout the year. Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest number of closures. While student numbers declined in several states, new schools were opened in others.

4,791 Schools Closed Nationwide

According to the report, a total of 4,791 schools closed across India during 2025-26. This translates to an average of 13 school closures per day. The total number of schools in the country dropped from 1,471,473 to 1,466,682. Madhya Pradesh saw the highest number of closures at 2,426, followed by Telangana, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh.

New Schools Opened in Some States

While the number of schools decreased in many states, new schools were launched in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Delhi. Bihar added 946 new schools, Chhattisgarh 234, and Delhi 87. However, a decline in student enrollment was recorded in these states.

Decline in Student Numbers

According to the report, Bihar saw the largest drop in enrollment, with a decrease of over 4.37 lakh students. Chhattisgarh and Delhi also recorded a decline in student numbers compared to the previous year. This indicates that while the number of schools increased in several states, the number of students attending them remained low.

First-Time Drop in Schools with Zero Students

The report also highlighted a positive development: for the first time, there was a decrease in the number of schools that had no students enrolled. In 2024-25, there were 7,993 such schools; this figure has now dropped to 5,663. However, 20,667 teachers remain employed in these schools.

Data from Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal also raise concerns.

In West Bengal, the number of schools with zero students has risen to 4,133, yet thousands of teachers are deployed there. Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, the number of such schools increased from 81 to 313, accompanied by a rise in the number of teachers posted in them. Chhattisgarh also recorded 149 such schools for the first time, where no students are enrolled.

The UDISE Plus 2025-26 report indicates shifts in both the number of schools and student enrollment across the country. While new schools are opening in some states, others are seeing closures. Consequently, there is a perceived need for effective measures to strengthen the education system and ensure students remain connected to schools.