According to the Ministry of Education's UDISE+ 2024-25 report, India has achieved a milestone in school education by surpassing one crore teachers for the first time in UDISE+ history.
UDISE+, or Unified District Information System for Education Plus, is an updated and expanded online system run by India's Ministry of Education. The platform collects real-time, comprehensive data from schools to help educational planning, resource allocation, and policy creation.
This milestone is being seen as a significant step towards reducing student-teacher ratios and closing regional gaps in teaching availability.
The data shows that teacher numbers have steadily increased since 2022-23, with a 6.7 per cent increase during the reporting year, India Today reports.
Teacher strength increased from 94,83,294 in 2022-23 to 1,01,22,420 in 2024-25. This has led to significantly better student-teacher ratios: 10 at the Foundational level, 13 at Preparatory, 17 at Middle, and 21 at Secondary.
These ratios are comparable to the National Education Policy guideline of 1:30 and are believed to promote improved classroom engagement.
Retention rates have improved at all phases. Foundational retention increased to 98.9 per cent, Preparatory to 92.4 per cent, Middle to 82.8 per cent, and Secondary to 47.2 per cent.
During the same period, dropout rates have decreased: Preparatory dropped to 2.3 per cent, Middle to 3.5 per cent, and Secondary to 8.2 per cent. Transition rates between stages have also improved, indicating a smoother path for students.
The report shows a considerable increase in digital readiness. In 2024-25, the percentage of schools with computer access climbed to 64.7 per cent, while those with internet connectivity increased to 63.5 per cent.
Basic amenities have also improved; 93.6 per cent of schools now have electricity, 99.3 per cent have safe drinking water, 95.9 per cent have handwashing facilities, and 97.3 per cent have female restrooms.
Single-teacher schools have decreased from 1,18,190 to 1,04,125, while zero-enrollment schools have dropped from 12,954 to 7,993. According to the report, these changes are helping to rationalise teacher deployment and enhance school usage.
Female representation among teachers has climbed to 54.2 per cent, while female enrolment has increased to 48.3 per cent. Accessibility has improved, with 54.9 per cent of schools being equipped with ramps and railings, indicating a focus on inclusive education.
