--- title: "UDISE+ 2025-26: progress and persistent disparities in India's schools" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/udise-plus-2025-26-progress-disparities-b220h publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Society published: 2026-08-25T05:30:35.532Z modified: 2026-08-25T08:00:07.537Z language: en-IN --- # UDISE+ 2025-26: progress and persistent disparities in India's schools The UDISE+ 2025-26 report records progress in enrolment, retention, and teacher availability across India’s 1.47 million schools, 240 million students, and 10.2 million teachers, while highlighting regional and social gaps in access and outcomes. ## Key takeaways - India's education system shows progress in enrolment, retention, dropout reduction, teacher availability, and infrastructure according to the UDISE+ 2025-26 report. - Significant regional and social disparities persist in access, resources, and outcomes, with wide variation in GER, PTR, and school distribution across states. - GER is highest among OBC students and lowest among ST students; general category enrolment is prominent in some urban areas, while minority groups account for a substantial share of total enrolment. - Enrolment per school and PTR vary markedly by state, indicating uneven staffing and school size patterns that influence learning opportunities. ## What Happened The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2025-26 report presents data covering 1.47 million schools, 240 million students, and 10.2 million teachers in India. It notes gains in gross enrolment, student retention, dropout reduction, teacher availability, and educational infrastructure. Yet the document also documents ongoing regional and social disparities in access, resources, learning opportunities, and outcomes. Specific figures illustrate these imbalances: Aadhaar seeding is highest in Andhra Pradesh (99.6%) and Chandigarh (99%), with Meghalaya at the lowest (35%), against a national average of 90.2%. In terms of school distribution, Uttar Pradesh accounts for the largest share of schools and student enrolment, while Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh have the smallest shares of schools relative to enrolment, suggesting higher student-to-school ratios in those states. At the school level, West Bengal has the largest share of foundational and preparatory schools (79%), and Chandigarh the largest share of secondary schools (83%), while Chandigarh also records the smallest share of foundational and preparatory schools (5%). Enrolment by social group shows that Chandigarh and Delhi have the highest proportions of General category students, while Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Ladakh have notably high shares of Scheduled Tribe (ST) enrolment. Punjab shows a high share of Scheduled Caste (SC) enrolment, whereas Other Backward Classes (OBC) representation is particularly high in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Nationally, the Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) is highest for OBCs (49%), followed by General (27%), SCs (17%), and STs (10%). The Gender Parity Index indicates higher girls’ enrolment and participation across most states/UTs. Minority status appears in enrolment as well, with students from minority communities accounting for more than 20% of total enrolment; Muslims and Parsis are identified among the major minority groups. On average, Chandigarh records the highest enrolment per school (1,194 students), followed by Delhi (788); Ladakh records the lowest average enrolment per school (64). Teacher workload and resource gaps are evident in the pupil-teacher ratio (PTR), which varies significantly by state and across pedagogical stages. Jharkhand shows a high Secondary PTR (43), while Sikkim reports a low Secondary PTR (6) and Ladakh also has a comparatively low value. Foundational and preparatory PTRs are generally lower than secondary PTRs in most states. The report also highlights significant inter-state variation in PTR across foundational, preparatory, and middle levels, reflecting differing staffing and workload conditions. ## Why It Matters The findings point to progress in access and infrastructure, but persistent regional and social gaps suggest that gains in overall indicators are not evenly shared. The concentration of schools and student enrolment in some states, coupled with high PTRs in others, indicates uneven capacity to translate enrolment into learning outcomes. The pronounced differences in GER by social groups and the notable presence of minorities in enrolment imply ongoing challenges to inclusive quality education across India's diverse population. ## Background UDISE+ is a national data system that tracks indicators of school education across India, including enrolment, attendance, infrastructure, teacher data, and related metrics. The 2025-26 release offers a snapshot of performance and disparities across regions and social groups, illustrating where progress is being made and where inequities persist. ## Key Facts - Scope: 1.47 million schools, 240 million students, 10.2 million teachers (UDISE+ 2025-26). - Aadhaar seeding: Andhra Pradesh 99.6%, Chandigarh 99%, Meghalaya 35%; national average 90.2%. - State dynamics: Uttar Pradesh has the largest share of schools and student enrolment; Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh have the smallest shares of schools relative to enrolment. - School type distribution: West Bengal 79% foundational/preparatory schools; Chandigarh 83% secondary schools; Chandigarh 5% foundational/preparatory schools. - Social composition: General category higher in Chandigarh/Delhi; ST shares high in Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Ladakh; Punjab high SC enrolment; OBC representation high in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. - GER by social group: OBC 49%, General 27%, SC 17%, ST 10%. - Gender parity: Girls’ enrolment higher than boys across most states/UTs. - Minority enrolment: Minorities account for more than 20% of total enrolment; Muslims and Parsis identified among major minority groups. - Enrolment per school: Chandigarh 1,194; Delhi 788; Ladakh 64. - PTR variations: Jharkhand Secondary PTR 43; Sikkim Secondary PTR 6; broader regional differences across foundational, preparatory, and middle PTRs. ## What Happens Next The document does not specify new steps beyond reporting the current state of indicators. Readers should monitor how states respond to identified disparities in enrolment, PTR, and infrastructure in subsequent editions of UDISE+ or related policy reviews. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/udise-plus-2025-26-progress-disparities-b220h Reported from: Multiple Sources