NITI Aayog SEDI 2025-26: Chandigarh Tops, Kerala Second As Government School Enrolment Falls
The School Education Development Index (SEDI) 2025-26, released by NITI Aayog, has ranked Chandigarh as the best-performing region in school education, with Kerala securing the second position.
The report evaluates the performance of states and Union Territories across key indicators, including access to education, infrastructure, governance, equity and learning outcomes.
According to the rankings, Chandigarh recorded the highest overall SEDI score of 0.826, followed by Kerala with 0.813. Puducherry secured the third position with a score of 0.737, while Goa ranked fourth with 0.713. Delhi, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Haryana completed the top ten.
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Beyond the rankings, the report titled “School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement” paints a concerning picture of India’s public education system.
One of its key findings is the steady decline in enrolment in government schools over the past two decades.
The report states that the share of students enrolled in government schools has dropped to 49.24% in 2024-25, down from 71% in 2005.
At the same time, private schools continue to expand, accounting for 44.01% of secondary schools across the country.
India currently has around 14.71 lakh schools catering to nearly 24.69 crore students, according to the report.
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However, it also notes that more than one lakh schools are functioning with only a single teacher, highlighting persistent challenges in staffing and resource allocation.
The report further points to a decline in the number of government schools in many parts of the country due to closures and mergers.
Data from UDISE+ indicates that 31 States and Union Territories have reported a reduction in government schools, with Jammu and Kashmir witnessing one of the sharpest declines.
States such as Andhra Pradesh have seen a significant fall in government school enrolment, while Telangana and Karnataka have experienced rapid growth in private schools. Bihar has also recorded a notable increase in the number of private institutions.
NITI Aayog warns that the continued shift from government to private schools could have serious implications for the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The decline in public school enrolment may affect the goal of achieving universal school education by 2030 and increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education.
School closures and mergers could also reduce access to education in rural and remote areas, increase travel distances for students and contribute to higher dropout rates, particularly among girls.
The report also highlights the financial impact of declining government school enrolment.
Lower student numbers could reduce funding for several centrally sponsored schemes, including PM-POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal Scheme), free textbooks and uniforms, infrastructure grants, teacher salaries and incentives for students from disadvantaged communities.
While the report outlines 33 recommendations to improve the quality of school education, it stresses the need to strengthen government schools alongside regulating the growth of private institutions.
It calls for greater transparency in school mergers, better compliance with the Right to Education (RTE) norms and sustained investment in public education to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
