In a startling revelation, data from the Ministry of Education (MoE) shows that nearly 8,000 schools across India operated without a single student during the 2024–25 academic session, yet continued to employ over 20,000 teachers. The findings have sparked concerns over resource mismanagement and accountability in the country’s education system.
West Bengal Tops the List
According to the official data, West Bengal leads with 3,812 schools recording zero enrolments — the highest among all Indian states. Astonishingly, these institutions still had 17,965 teachers on their payrolls, raising questions about the deployment of teaching staff and the utilization of state education funds.
Following West Bengal, Telangana recorded 2,245 such schools, employing 1,016 teachers, while Madhya Pradesh reported 463 schools with 223 teachers still on duty.
In contrast, several states — including Haryana, Maharashtra, Goa, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura — reported no schools with zero enrolment.
National Picture: A Decline but Still Troubling
The report notes that the number of zero-enrolment schools fell from 12,954 in 2023–24 to 7,993 in 2024–25, marking a reduction of about 5,000. However, experts say the figure is still alarming, considering the pressure on state budgets and the need to optimize educational infrastructure.
Interestingly, the Union Territories of Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman and Diu, Chandigarh, and Delhi reported no schools without students.
Government’s Response
A senior education ministry official told PTI,
“School education is a state subject. States have been advised to address the issue of zero enrolments in schools. Some states have merged schools to ensure optimum utilization of resources, including infrastructure and staff.”
The Other End: India’s Single-Teacher Schools
While thousands of schools lack students, the Ministry’s data also highlights another paradox — the prevalence of over 1 lakh single-teacher schools.
In 2023–24, 1,10,971 single-teacher schools were operational, down 6% from 1,18,190 in 2022–23. Andhra Pradesh leads in such schools, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
Yet, in terms of total enrolments, Uttar Pradesh tops the list, followed by Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh, where lakhs of students depend on a single teacher for education.
What Lies Ahead
The data underscores a widening gap between teacher deployment and student distribution across states. Education policy experts are calling for a nationwide audit, suggesting that rationalization and school consolidation are vital to ensure effective learning and fair resource allocation.
