---
title: "Parliamentary Panel Highlights 73% Dropout Rate Before Higher Secondary"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/parliamentary-panel-flags-73-percent-student-dropout-rate-bemem
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: Society
published: 2026-08-14T11:04:46.081Z
modified: 2026-08-14T14:00:05.933Z
language: en-IN
---

# Parliamentary Panel Highlights 73% Dropout Rate Before Higher Secondary

A parliamentary committee report reveals a significant decline in schools and students at higher education levels, with nearly 73% of students dropping out before completing higher secondary. The panel urges the Ministry to upgrade schools and increase secondary and higher secondary facilities natio

## Key takeaways

- A parliamentary panel has reported that approximately 73% of students do not complete higher secondary education.
- The committee noted a significant decrease in the number of schools and students at secondary and higher secondary levels compared to primary and upper primary.
- Recommendations include upgrading existing schools and establishing more secondary and higher secondary institutions to improve accessibility and reduce dropouts.

A parliamentary panel has expressed concern over a substantial reduction in schools and student enrollment as educational levels advance, noting that approximately 73% of students discontinue their education before completing higher secondary school. This observation is detailed in the Tenth Report (Eighteenth Lok Sabha) of the Committee on Estimates, presented on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

## What Happened

The committee highlighted a significant disparity in the number of educational institutions, with primary and upper primary levels having considerably more schools than secondary and higher secondary levels. Data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2024-25 indicates that out of 10,92,671 total government and government-aided schools, only 90,866 offer higher secondary education. Student enrollment figures show a corresponding sharp decrease from 6.18 crore in primary classes to 1.64 crore in higher secondary classes. The panel described this as a "drastic decline" in both schools and students at higher educational stages.

## Why It Matters

The parliamentary panel strongly recommended that the Ministry prioritize upgrading existing primary and secondary schools to become full higher secondary institutions. This initiative aims to ensure that high school education is physically accessible to a broader range of students, thereby helping to reduce the high dropout rate. The committee stressed the urgent need to increase the number of secondary and higher secondary schools across the country.

## Background

Given that education is listed on the Concurrent List of the Constitution, with most schools falling under the jurisdiction of State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, the committee called on the Ministry to encourage these governments to establish more secondary and higher secondary schools. This is intended to boost student enrollment nationwide.

## Key Facts

- Nearly 73% of students drop out before finishing higher secondary education.

- In the 2024-25 UDISE data, there were 90,866 higher secondary schools out of a total of 10,92,671 schools.

- Enrollment dropped from 6,18,45,033 in primary classes to 1,64,17,949 in higher secondary classes.

- A parliamentary panel presented its Tenth Report (Eighteenth Lok Sabha) to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

- The committee urged the Ministry to upgrade existing primary and secondary schools into higher secondary institutions.

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/parliamentary-panel-flags-73-percent-student-dropout-rate-bemem
Reported from: Multiple Sources