Internet reaches 67.4% schools in India

• Internet connectivity in schools has expanded from 7.3 per cent during 2013-14 to 67.4 per cent in 2025-26, shows the UDISE+ 2025-26 report.

• The report highlights significant strides in modernising school infrastructure to create a more conducive environment for teaching and learning. 

• The proportion of schools equipped with computers increased to 69.9 per cent, expanding opportunities for technology-enabled education.

What is UDISE+?

• The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) is a digital platform developed by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L) to collect and manage comprehensive school education data across India. 

• Since its launch in 2018-19, UDISE+ has facilitated evidence-based planning, policymaking, and monitoring of educational progress. 

• It also serves as a key data repository for tracking the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which seeks to ensure universal access, equity, quality learning, and improved student retention.

• The UDISE+ 2025-26 report reflects a strengthening Indian school education system that comprises nearly 14.67 lakh schools, 1.03 crore teachers, and over 24.72 crore enrolled students. 

Key points of the report:

• Sustained enrolment and improved teacher availability translates to an average of seven teachers and 169 students per school. 

• The system maintains a highly favourable overall pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) of 24:1, sitting comfortably well within the NEP 2020-recommended benchmark of 30:1.

• The pupil–teacher ratio (PTR) measures the number of students per teacher at a specific level of education. For example, a PTR of 10:1 means, on average, one teacher is available for 10 students at a particular stage. A lower PTR enables teachers to provide greater individual attention, develop stronger teacher-student interactions, and improve the quality of teaching and learning.

• The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the Secondary stage improved to 71.7 per cent. The Middle stage GER stood at a consistently high 89.6 per cent.

• Girls accounted for 48.4 per cent of total student enrolment, indicating a balanced gender distribution across schools. 

• Women also continued to play a significant role in the teaching workforce, constituting 54.9 per cent of all teachers.

• Students from Other Backward Classes (OBCs) accounted for the largest share at 44.9 per cent of total enrolment, followed by the General category (27.5 per cent), Scheduled Castes (17.7 per cent), and Scheduled Tribes (10 per cent). 

• The dropout rate notably declined to 1.8 per cent at the Preparatory stage and 7 per cent at the Secondary stage. While the Middle stage saw a marginal increase to 3.6 per cent, dropout rates across all three stages remain significantly lower than in 2022-23.

• The number of schools operating with a single teacher decreased by approximately 3 per cent to 1,00,843.

• Today, 95 per cent of the schools are powered with electricity, 98.5 per cent have girls toilets, and 97.2 per cent have boys toilets. 

• Handwashing facilities are now available in 96.9 per cent of schools, and access to safe drinking water has reached 99.5 per cent. 

• These improvements not only enhance the day-to-day school experience but also play a vital role in promoting health, attendance, and overall educational outcomes.