Parliamentary Panel Flags Alarming 73% Student Dropout Rate Before Higher Secondary Education
A recent report by a parliamentary panel has brought to light a critical issue plaguing India's education system: a staggering 73% of students are dropping out before reaching higher secondary education. The Parliament Committee on Estimates presented its findings, titled 'Budget and Policy aspects for providing Affordable and Quality Education in the Country including Review of Central Board of Secondary Education,' in the Lok Sabha on August 13, 2026.
The committee's analysis of the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2024-25 data reveals a sharp disparity in school infrastructure. While there are over 9.11 lakh primary schools and 4.12 lakh upper primary schools, the number drastically reduces to just over 1.61 lakh secondary schools and a mere 90,866 higher secondary schools nationwide.
This structural imbalance directly correlates with the declining student enrollment figures. Against 6.18 crore students in primary classes, the numbers drop to 4.08 crore in upper primary (Classes 6-8), 2.36 crore in secondary, and a mere 1.64 crore in higher secondary classes. The panel strongly urged the Ministry of Education to prioritize upgrading existing primary and secondary schools into full-fledged higher secondary institutions. This measure is crucial to ensure physical accessibility for students from diverse communities and to effectively curb the high dropout rate. Additionally, the report highlighted concerns regarding textbook shortages and the academic stress caused by new application-based exam patterns for classes 9-12.
