State of education

State of education

Nearly 8,000 schools across India recorded zero student enrolments during the 2024–25 academic session, with West Bengal accounting for the largest share, followed by Telangana, according to official data from the ministry of education.

A total of 20,817 teachers were employed in schools that had no students on their rolls. West Bengal alone accounted for 17,965 of these teachers, alongside the highest number of zero-enrollment schools (3,812), making it a major outlier in the national data.

The report also highlights the issue of single-teacher schools, where one educator supposedly handles all grades and subjects. More than 1 lakh schools fall under this category, collectively teaching over 33 lakh students.

Andhra Pradesh recorded the highest number of single-teacher schools, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Lakshadweep. However, in terms of student enrolment in single-teacher schools, Uttar Pradesh topped the list, followed by Jharkhand, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.