Govt. School Shut Down in India over about Last 10 years?
India has seen a significant decline in government schools over the past decade, primarily due to mergers, low enrollment, and policy rationalization efforts. Official data indicates around 93,000 government schools closed between 2014-15 and 2024-25.
Approximately 93,779 government schools shut down nationwide in the last 10 years, representing nearly 9% of total schools.
From 2020-21 to 2024-25 alone, the number dropped from 1,032,019 to 1,013,322—a loss of about 18,700 schools.
Earlier periods saw even sharper declines, with over 60,000 closures reported by 2018-19.
Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh lead with the highest numbers: UP at 24,590-25,000+ closures, MP at 22,438-30,000.
Other affected states include Odisha (around 10,000), Assam (over 8,000), Jharkhand (5,500+), and Jammu & Kashmir (4,000+).
Northern and eastern states dominate the trend, while southern states experienced fewer closures.
Closures often stem from school mergers under policies like NEP and RTE to improve efficiency, alongside rising private school enrollment (up 14% in 10 years).
Rural and low-income areas are hit hardest, raising equity concerns, though some states like Bihar added schools.
Private schools grew by 42,944 in the same period, shifting access dynamics.
