School enrolment in India hits a seven-year low at 24.68 crore: Is falling birth rate the key reason?

India’s school enrolment has hit a seven-year low at 24.68 crore in 2024–25, driven mainly by a falling birth rate and shrinking primary cohorts, UDISE+ data shows. While government schools lost 59 lakh students, private schools gained almost the same. Dropout rates fell, but southern states with low fertility saw sharper declines, underscoring India’s demographic and educational shift.