The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report 2023-24 has revealed a startling reality: nearly 13000 schools across India have zero enrollments. This alarming figure underscores a significant issue within the country's vast education system, highlighting resource wastage and potential inequities in access to quality education.
India has one of the world's largest school education systems, with over 14.72 lakh schools, more than 98 lakh teachers, and a student population exceeding 24.8 crore. However, the existence of schools with zero enrollments points to a system under strain.
Regional Disparities
The problem is particularly acute in certain states. West Bengal, with a staggering 3,254 schools and a workforce of 14,627 teachers assigned to these empty institutions, presents a stark example of resource misallocation. Similarly, Rajasthan, with 2,167 schools with zero enrollment and 4,398 teachers, highlights the gravity of the situation.
Schools with Zero Enrollments and Teachers
| Names | Schools with Zero Enrollments | Teachers in Schools Having Zero Enrollments |
|---|---|---|
| India | 12,954 | 31,981 |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 3 | 3 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 84 | 251 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 240 | 58 |
| Assam | 0 | 0 |
| Bihar | 117 | 544 |
| Chandigarh | 0 | 0 |
| Chhattisgarh | 108 | 148 |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | 0 | 0 |
| Delhi | 0 | 0 |
| Goa | 4 | 16 |
| Gujarat | 274 | 382 |
| Haryana | 81 | 178 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 6 | 10 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 119 | 238 |
| Jharkhand | 199 | 398 |
| Karnataka | 1,078 | 1,572 |
| Kerala | 104 | 504 |
| Ladakh | 35 | 21 |
| Lakshadweep | 0 | 0 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 1,211 | 1,924 |
| Maharashtra | 18 | 76 |
| Manipur | 83 | 354 |
| Meghalaya | 146 | 277 |
| Mizoram | 39 | 73 |
| Nagaland | 12 | 24 |
| Odisha | 8 | 16 |
| Puducherry | 0 | 0 |
| Punjab | 15 | 35 |
| Rajasthan | 2,167 | 4,398 |
| Sikkim | 1 | 1 |
| Tamil Nadu | 490 | 889 |
| Telangana | 2,097 | 2,000 |
| Tripura | 10 | 12 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 906 | 2,895 |
| Uttarakhand | 45 | 57 |
| West Bengal | 3,254 | 14,627 |
Human Cost of Neglect
The presence of these "ghost schools" has a significant human cost:
Teacher Misallocation: A large pool of qualified teachers is effectively wasted, depriving schools with actual student demand of much-needed teaching resources.
Inequitable Access: The existence of these schools diverts resources away from schools with actual student populations, particularly in underserved and marginalized communities, exacerbating existing inequalities in access to quality education.
The continued existence of such schools undermines public trust in the education system and erodes the faith of taxpayers in the effective utilization of their hard-earned money.
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