Govt School Enrolment Falls in 23 States: MoE Orders Probe | Key Issue for UPSC GS2 & Essay

Recently, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has flagged a steep decline in enrolment in government and government-aided schools at the primary and upper-primary levels across 23 States and UTs in 2024–25. This has prompted the MoE to seek investigation and remedial action from the affected States.

• The UDISE+ report (2023-24) revealed an overall drop of 1.5 crore in school enrolment (both government and private) compared to the 2018–19 to 2021–22 averages.
• UDISE+ is an online portal facility created by DoSEL for recording data related to schools, teachers, enrolment, infrastructure, etc., in respect of all recognised schools in the country.In UDISE+ school school-wise data is captured through Data Capture Format (DCF).
• Each school has been provided with a login ID and password to facilitate online data compilation by the respective schools.

• The Head Teacher/ Head Master of the school in all the States compiles the data, and it goes through a 3-stage validation/verification process, viz., Block/ Cluster level, District level, and State level. This data is finally certified by the State Project Director (SPD) at the State level.
• The data, once certified by the SPD of the respective State, is considered approved by the State. Therefore, data is entered in the UDISE+ portal by the respective State itself.
• UDISE+ data is the only pan-India and most trusted database in school education in the country.

PM – POSHAN

• The PM-POSHAN review meetings show that the downward trend continues into 2024–25.
• Ministry: Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• Nature: Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Objective: Improve nutritional status of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children from 0-6 years of age.
• Mission POSHAN 2.0: Launched in 2021, it amalgamated various programmes with similar objectives, such as the Supplementary Nutrition Programme and POSHAN Abhiyaan under one umbrella.

PM-POSHAN Scheme Overview

• PM-POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman): Formerly known as the Midday Meal Scheme.
• Target group: Children from pre-primary to Class 8 in government and government-aided schools.
• Objective: Address child nutrition, enhance school attendance, improve learning outcomes and attention spans.
• Funding pattern: Centre and States share cost in a 60:40 ratio; Centre provides foodgrains.

Reason Behind the Decline

• Data cleansing and methodological changes:
• Shift from aggregate school-wise data to student-wise reporting (includes name, address, Aadhaar details). Led to the removal of “ghost” entries, revealing more accurate figures.
• Shift to private schools: Post-COVID reversal of enrollment trends – students shifting from government to private schools, possibly due to parental preferences for better quality education

Declining Coverage Under PM-POSHAN

• States with major drops in meal coverage:
• Uttar Pradesh: Dropped by 5.41 lakh
• Rajasthan: 3.27 lakh
• West Bengal: 8.04 lakh
• Delhi: 97,000

Delhi’s underperformance: 

• Midday meal coverage in 2024–25 –
• Balvatika (pre-primary): 60%
• Primary: 69%
• Upper primary: 62%
• All below the national average.

Way forward 

• Robust digital infrastructure for real-time monitoring of school data, ensuring transparency and elimination of ghost beneficiaries.
• Integration of PM-POSHAN with broader health and education initiatives, such as POSHAN Abhiyaan and Samagra Shiksha, to create holistic child development ecosystems. Community-driven models involving local panchayats, SHGs, and school management committees to build trust in public education.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) to enhance infrastructure, nutritional standards, and pedagogical quality in government schools. Incentivising enrolment and retention, especially in socio-economically vulnerable areas, through targeted scholarships, nutritional add-ons, and quality education interventions.

Conclusion

• To address the worrying decline in government school enrolment and PM-POSHAN coverage, a multi-pronged and future-ready approach is essential. 
• As India aspires to become a Viksit Bharat by 2047, investing in foundational education and child nutrition must remain a top priority. 
• This will be a decisive step toward achieving the goals of SDG-4 (quality education) and ensuring an inclusive and equitable learning environment for future generations.

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Question: What strategic policy interventions are needed to reverse the enrolment decline in government schools and improve PM-POSHAN coverage to ensure equitable access to quality education and nutrition for all children?

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTION

Question: Which of the following is a major reason cited for the recent decline in enrolment in government and government-aided schools, as per the Ministry of Education’s findings for 2024–25?

A) Increase in international school enrolments
B) Lack of online learning facilities in rural areas
C) Data cleansing, revealing ghost entries, and a shift to private schools
D) Expansion of PM-POSHAN to private institutions

Correct Answer: C) Data cleansing revealing ghost entries and a shift to private schools

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