Over 93000 Schools Shut Across India in Last Ten Years
Parliament was informed that more than ninety three thousand schools shut down across India between 2014 and 2024 raising concerns over rural education access declining enrolment and the impact of large scale school mergers.
- India shuts over ninety three thousand schools.
- Rural enrolment decline drives closures.
- Experts warn of access challenges ahead.
India’s education landscape has undergone a quiet but worrying shift over the past decade. Data shared by the Ministry of Education in Parliament shows that more than ninety three thousand schools across the country have permanently closed between 2014 and 2024, with government schools accounting for the majority of closures.
In the academic year 2014–15, India had around 11.07 lakh schools. By 2024–25, that number fell to nearly 10.13 lakh, indicating the removal of close to ninety four thousand schools from official records within ten years.
The trend is most visible in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh alone saw about twenty four thousand five hundred schools shut down, while Madhya Pradesh recorded nearly twenty eight thousand nine hundred closures during the same period. Similar patterns have been reported in Odisha Rajasthan Maharashtra and Bihar. Data also shows that Telangana and West Bengal have a high number of zero enrolment schools with no students attending.
The government has cited three main reasons for the decline. Student enrolment has dropped sharply in many schools due to migration from villages to cities for employment. To optimise resources and improve infrastructure, smaller schools with very few students are being merged into larger institutions.
While officials argue that school mergers help improve facilities and teaching quality, education experts have raised serious concerns. They warn that longer travel distances may discourage attendance, especially among young children and girls. In remote areas, school closures could push economically weaker students out of the education system altogether.
The government maintains that no child will be denied education and has promised transportation support and improved facilities at remaining schools. However, educators say the long term impact of widespread school closures will need close monitoring to ensure learning opportunities remain accessible to all.
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