Quick Facts
- Ministry of Education released the UDISE Plus 2025-26 report on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
- School teachers crossed 1.02 crore, up 8.3 percent from 94.83 lakh in 2022-23.
- Secondary dropout rate fell to 7.0 percent, down from 8.2 percent last year.
In This Article
The UDISE Plus 2025-26 report shows India now has over 1.02 crore school teachers and lower dropout rates at key school stages.
The Union Ministry of Education released two reports on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. These were the UDISE Plus 2025-26 report on school education and the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 report for states and districts. UDISE Plus (Unified District Information System for Education Plus) is the government’s official school data system. You can read the full data on the UDISE Plus dashboard.
Key Takeaways
- More teachers means smaller class sizes, with every school stage now beating the NEP target of 30 students per teacher.
- Falling dropout numbers at the preparatory and secondary levels point to better student retention across schools.
- Chandigarh leads school education for the fourth year in a row, but no state has reached the top grades yet.
CampusFeed Take
The headline number, teachers crossing 1.02 crore, matters less than where those teachers land. UDISE Plus 2025-26 shows single-teacher schools still number over 1 lakh, so the gain has not fully reached the smallest schools. Parents in rural blocks should watch whether local schools actually get more staff, not just the national count. The secondary dropout drop to 7.0 percent is real progress, yet 7 in every 100 students still leave before Class 10. The next UDISE Plus cycle in 2027 will show if this trend holds. By Avinash.
Key Numbers From the UDISE Plus 2025-26 Report
The UDISE Plus 2025-26 report tracks teachers, students, and school facilities across India. The Ministry of Education compiled the data with March 31, 2026, as the cutoff date. Below are the main figures from the report.
| Indicator | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Total teachers | Rose from 94.83 lakh (2022-23) | 1,02,73,020 (up 8.3 percent) |
| Secondary dropout rate | 8.2 percent | 7.0 percent |
| Preparatory dropout rate | 2.3 percent | 1.8 percent |
| Secondary GER | 68.5 percent | 71.7 percent |
| Schools with computer access | 64.7 percent | 69.9 percent |
| Schools with internet | 63.5 percent | 67.4 percent |
The most striking shift is the secondary Gross Enrolment Ratio, which jumped 3.2 percentage points in one year (UDISE Plus 2025-26 report). More students are now staying in school up to Class 10.
About UDISE Plus
UDISE Plus (Unified District Information System for Education Plus) is India’s national school data system, run by the Ministry of Education. It collects details from schools with active UDISE codes on teachers, student enrolment, attendance, and facilities. The 2025-26 report covered over 14.67 lakh schools and about 24.72 crore students, making it one of the world’s largest school databases (Ministry of Education). Schools upload data voluntarily in an online format each year.
What Does the Dropout Data Show?
The dropout rate is the share of students who leave school before finishing a stage. The UDISE Plus 2025-26 report recorded a steady fall in dropouts at two key levels compared with 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25. At the preparatory level (Classes 3 to 5), the rate dropped from 2.3 percent to 1.8 percent (UDISE Plus 2025-26 report). At the secondary level (Classes 9 to 10), it fell from 8.2 percent to 7.0 percent.
Improved pupil-teacher ratios (PTR) helped drive this trend. The report placed the PTR at 10 at the foundational level, 12 at the preparatory level, 17 at the middle level, and 21 at the secondary level. All four beat the National Education Policy (NEP) target of 30 students per teacher. You can view the official notification on the Ministry of Education website.
Which State Tops the PGI 2.0 Ranking?
The Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 is a report card that grades states and Union Territories on school education. Chandigarh topped the 2025-26 ranking for the fourth year in a row, according to the Ministry of Education. It was the only region placed in the ‘Uttam-3’ grade (61 to 70 percent score), the highest any state or UT reached this year.
No state or UT reached the top three grades, Utkarsh, Uttam-1, or Uttam-2, this year, the Ministry of Education report noted.
Punjab, Kerala, Delhi, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu shared the second spot. The PGI 2.0 grades states across six areas: learning outcomes, access, infrastructure, equity, governance, and teacher training. The gap between the highest and lowest scorers shows how uneven school quality still is across the country.
What This Means For You
If you are a student
Smaller class sizes mean more attention from your teachers, since the pupil-teacher ratio now beats the NEP target at every stage. If you are in Class 9 or 10, the falling secondary dropout rate shows more students like you are staying in school. Use the improved computer and internet access at your school for study and exam prep.
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If you are a parent
The UDISE Plus 2025-26 data confirms schools are better staffed than before, which can ease crowding in classrooms. Still, single-teacher schools number over 1 lakh, so check the actual staffing at your child’s school. If your child is nearing Class 10, the retention gains are a good sign for their chances of completing school.
If you are a school principal or teacher
Your school’s data feeds directly into UDISE Plus and the PGI 2.0 ranking, so accurate uploads matter. The report shows digital access rising, with 69.9 percent of schools now having computers. If your school still lacks internet or a working lab, use this national benchmark to press for upgrades from your state education department.
What Is Next
The Ministry of Education usually releases the next UDISE Plus cycle around mid-year. Key dates to watch:
- Data cutoff for the 2026-27 cycle: March 31, 2027.
- Expected next report release: around mid-2027.
Will your state climb into a higher PGI grade next year, or hold steady?
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: July 08, 2026 at 11:30 IST
Last verified: July 08, 2026
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is based on publicly available information at the time of publishing. Exam dates, cutoffs, fees, deadlines, eligibility criteria, and scholarship details can change without notice. Always verify the latest information from the official portal of the Ministry of Education or UDISE Plus before taking any action. CampusFeed and its authors are not responsible for decisions made based on this article. This is not legal, financial, or career advice. Please consult a qualified professional for individual guidance.
Written by Avinash. Published: July 08, 2026. Updated: July 08, 2026. Have a tip or correction? Write to us at editorial@campusfeed.in.
