HYDERABAD: As many as 2,245 schools in Telangana recorded zero student enrolment, according to the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2024-25 released by the Union Education Ministry.
At the national level, 7,993 out of 14.71 lakh schools recorded no students. West Bengal topped the list with 3,812 such schools, followed by Telangana.
In comparison, Telangana had 1,672 schools without students in 2022-23; the number rose to 2,097 in 2023-24 and is now 2,245. Of the state’s 43,154 schools, including government, social welfare and private institutions, 2,245 currently have no enrolments.
While Telangana’s numbers are rising, the national trend shows a decline. In 2022-23, India had 6,054 zero-enrolment schools, falling to 5,895 in 2023-24, and further reducing to 5,001 in 2024-25. Together, these schools enrolled 62,288 students this year, averaging about 12 students per teacher.
In Telangana, government schools enrolled 3,97,263 boys and 4,35,806 girls this year. The report notes that the state fares slightly better than Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, which recorded higher proportions of zero-enrolment schools.
Educationists said the issue is most visible in government schools in rural and remote areas. “Many schools are in isolated locations with poor transport links, which discourages parents from sending children. A growing preference for private schools is also contributing to the decline,” they said.