Govt Data Reveals Shocking Reality: 8,000 Schools Have Zero Students, Yet 20,000 Teachers Appointed

New Delhi — A recent report from the Union Ministry of Education has revealed a startling fact about India’s schooling system. As per official data for the 2024–25 academic year, nearly 8,000 schools across the country recorded zero new student admissions.

Among these, West Bengal tops the list with 3,812 schools showing no new enrollments, followed by Telangana with 2,245 schools. However, these institutions collectively employ as many as 20,817 government teachers, with 17,905 of them posted in West Bengal alone.

In comparison, during 2023–24, the number of schools with zero admissions stood at 12,954, which has now dropped to 7,993, indicating a decrease of about 5,000 schools.

Interestingly, states such as Haryana, Maharashtra, Goa, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura reported no schools with zero admissions this year.

A senior education ministry official stated that school education is a state subject, and all states have been advised to address the issue of schools receiving no admissions. Some states have reportedly begun merging underutilized schools to optimize infrastructure and staffing.

Status in Union Territories:

Union Territories including Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Diu & Daman, and Chandigarh also reported no schools with zero enrollment. Similarly, Delhi has recorded no such instances.

In Madhya Pradesh, 463 schools reported no new admissions, where 223 teachers are still posted. In Telangana, 1,016 teachers are employed in schools with zero enrollment. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh has 81 such schools, and the UP Secondary Education Board is preparing to revoke recognition for schools with no new admissions.

One-Teacher Schools Still a Concern:

The report further highlighted that over 3.3 million students are enrolled in more than 100,000 single-teacher schools across India. States like Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Lakshadweep top this category.

While the number of single-teacher schools has dropped by nearly 6%, from 118,190 in 2023–24 to 110,971 in 2024–25, the issue continues to raise questions about the quality of education in such institutions.