The Ministry of Education released the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2025-26 report, revealing that India’s school teacher count crossed 1.02 crore for the first time, a rise of 8.3% from 94.8 lakh in 2022-23. The Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) at every stage of school education remains well below the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recommended benchmark of 30:1, while the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the secondary level improved to 71.7%. The report paints a picture of steady progress across teacher deployment, student retention, dropout reduction, and school infrastructure.
What Is UDISE+?
The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) is the official digital database of the Government of India for school education. It is maintained by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education. The system collects real-time data from every recognised school in the country, government and private, on students, teachers, infrastructure, and facilities.
The earlier Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) was launched in 2012-13 by integrating the District Information System for Education (DISE) for elementary education and the Secondary Education Management Information System (SEMIS). In 2018-19, UDISE was upgraded to UDISE+, shifting from paper-based manual data collection to a fully online, real-time platform. The system is hosted by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and provides each school with a unique UDISE code for identification. It is one of the largest educational management information systems in the world, covering over 14.67 lakh schools and more than 24 crore students.
Teacher Count Crosses 1 Crore for the First Time
The total number of school teachers in India reached 1,02,73,020 (approximately 1.02 crore) in 2025-26, crossing the one crore mark for the first time in any academic year. This represents an increase of 8.3% compared to 94,83,294 teachers in 2022-23. The teaching workforce has grown steadily over the past three years, from 98,07,600 in 2023-24 to 1,01,22,420 in 2024-25.
| Year | Total Teachers |
|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 94,83,294 |
| 2023-24 | 98,07,600 |
| 2024-25 | 1,01,22,420 |
| 2025-26 | 1,02,73,020 |
Women now make up 54.9% of the total teaching workforce, reflecting a steady increase from 52.3% in 2022-23. The growing presence of female teachers contributes to more inclusive and gender-sensitive learning environments. The report also noted a 3% decline in single-teacher schools, from 1,04,125 in 2024-25 to 1,00,843 in 2025-26.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio Remains Better Than NEP Norms
The Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) measures the number of students per teacher in a school system. A lower PTR allows teachers to give more individual attention to each student, leading to better learning outcomes. The NEP 2020 recommends a PTR of 30:1 at every school level. The UDISE+ 2025-26 report shows that India’s PTR at all four stages is well within this benchmark.
| Stage | NEP 2020 Norm | India’s PTR (2025-26) |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational | 30:1 | 10 |
| Preparatory | 30:1 | 12 |
| Middle | 30:1 | 17 |
| Secondary | 30:1 | 21 |
The PTR has either improved or remained stable across all stages compared to previous years. The foundational level PTR has stayed at 10 since 2023-24, while the preparatory level improved from 14 in 2022-23 to 12 in 2025-26. The middle and secondary levels have held at 17 and 21 respectively since 2024-25. At the overall national level, the PTR across all schools stands at approximately 24, meaning one teacher for every 24 students.
Dropout Rates Decline, Retention Improves
The UDISE+ 2025-26 report recorded a consistent decline in dropout rates across critical stages of schooling. At the preparatory level (Classes 3 to 5), the dropout rate fell from 2.3% in 2024-25 to 1.8% in 2025-26. At the secondary level (Classes 9 to 10), it dropped from 8.2% to 7.0% over the same period.
| Stage | Dropout Rate 2023-24 | Dropout Rate 2024-25 | Dropout Rate 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparatory | 3.7% | 2.3% | 1.8% |
| Middle | 5.2% | 3.5% | 3.6% |
| Secondary | 10.9% | 8.2% | 7.0% |
Student retention rates, which measure the proportion of students who continue from one stage to the next, saw notable improvement at the middle and secondary levels. The secondary retention rate rose from 47.2% in 2024-25 to 51.9% in 2025-26, meaning that for the first time, more than half the students who enter secondary education stay enrolled through to the end of the stage. Middle level retention improved from 82.8% to 83.7% during the same period. Transition rates, which track movement between educational stages, also improved across all levels, with the transition rate from middle to secondary rising from 86.6% to 88.3%.
Gross Enrolment Ratio at Secondary Level Improves
The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) measures total enrolment at a given level of education as a percentage of the official age group population for that level. It is a key indicator for tracking progress toward the NEP 2020 goal of achieving 100% GER in school education by 2030.
The secondary level GER improved from 68.5% in 2024-25 to 71.7% in 2025-26, indicating that more students are enrolling in secondary education. The middle level GER stood at 89.6% during the same period. The report noted that the Gender Parity Index (GPI), measured as the ratio of girls’ GER to boys’ GER, remained above 1 at all levels, meaning girls are participating in education at proportionately higher rates than boys.
Total student enrolment during 2025-26 stood at approximately 24.72 crore across foundational, preparatory, middle, and secondary stages. About 22.3 crore students, representing 90.2% of total enrolment, voluntarily provided their Aadhaar numbers for the database, strengthening the move towards a unique student-wise digital record system.
Progress in School Infrastructure
The UDISE+ 2025-26 report also highlighted significant improvements in school infrastructure, particularly in digital facilities. The share of schools with computer access rose from 64.7% in 2024-25 to 69.9% in 2025-26. Those with internet connectivity increased from 63.5% to 67.4% over the same period.
| Facility | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 91.7% | 91.8% | 93.6% | 95.0% |
| Drinking Water | 98.4% | 98.3% | 99.3% | 99.5% |
| Girls’ Toilets | 97.0% | 97.2% | 97.3% | 98.5% |
| Boys’ Toilets | 95.6% | 95.7% | 96.2% | 97.2% |
| Library | 88.3% | 89.0% | 89.5% | 90.5% |
Electricity coverage reached 95% of schools, while 99.5% of schools now have access to safe drinking water. Toilet facilities, both for girls and boys, have also improved, with 98.5% of schools having girls’ toilets. Over 90% of schools now have library facilities. The number of schools with zero enrolment dropped sharply by about 29%, from 7,993 in 2024-25 to 5,663 in 2025-26, indicating more efficient use of school infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
- The total number of school teachers in India crossed 1.02 crore in 2025-26, an increase of 8.3% from 94.8 lakh in 2022-23.
- The PTR stands at 10 (Foundational), 12 (Preparatory), 17 (Middle), and 21 (Secondary) levels, all well within the NEP 2020 recommended ratio of 30:1.
- The secondary level Gross Enrolment Ratio improved to 71.7% in 2025-26, up from 68.5% in 2024-25.
- Dropout rates declined to 1.8% at the preparatory level and 7.0% at the secondary level, while the secondary retention rate crossed 50% for the first time at 51.9%.
- Women now constitute 54.9% of India’s teaching workforce, up from 52.3% in 2022-23.
- UDISE+ was launched in 2018-19 as an upgrade of UDISE, which itself was initiated in 2012-13. It is maintained by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education.
