Telangana School Enrolment Rises 2.9 Percent As School Count Drops

The Union Education Ministry on Tuesday released the UDISE+ report for 2025-26, revealing that student enrolment in Telangana rose by 2.9 per cent to 76,76,413, even as the total number of schools in the state decreased. The report, which details educational data across Hyderabad and the rest of Telangana, highlighted that the state completely eliminated zero-enrolment schools, dropping from 2,245 such institutions in the previous academic year to zero.

According to the report, the total number of schools in Telangana dropped from 43,154 in the 2024-25 academic year to 41,762 in 2025-26. Despite fewer schools, the overall student enrolment climbed from 74,57,851 to 76,76,413. This shift raised the average enrolment per school from 173 to 184 students.

The report also noted positive adjustments in staffing and school management. The total number of teachers in the state grew from 3,57,911 to 3,70,756. Additionally, the number of single-teacher schools decreased from 5,001 to 4,793.

A major highlight of the data was the performance of girls, who outperformed boys in gross enrolment ratios at every educational level. At the primary level, the enrolment ratio for girls reached 118.4 compared to 115.9 for boys. This trend continued through upper primary (112.4 girls versus 108 boys), secondary (107.9 girls versus 102.4 boys), and higher secondary levels (86.3 girls versus 77.8 boys).

Telangana's overall enrolment figures comfortably exceeded national averages. The state recorded a secondary-level dropout rate of 5.8 per cent, which is lower than the national average of 9.5 per cent. Within the state, the dropout rate for boys stood at 7.2 per cent, while the rate for girls was lower at 4.3 per cent.

In terms of infrastructure, the UDISE+ report showed that 99.6 per cent of schools in Telangana now have electricity, and over 95 per cent feature separate toilets for boys and girls. Digital libraries are present in 92.4 per cent of the state's schools, far exceeding the national average of 7.1 per cent. However, sustainability-linked facilities lag behind, with kitchen gardens in 55.1 per cent of schools and solar panels in only 7.1 per cent. Aadhaar seeding among enrolled students reached 94.7 per cent.