It’s not merely a statistical concern but reflects deeper questions of equity, access and trust
Aadil Gulzar
In the last few weeks, we came across several news reports in local and national print media showing the declining enrollment rate in government schools. The data and figures highlighted in these reports, the reasons underscored, and the issues marked are not just worrying and disturbing but alarming as well.
Government schools in Jammu & Kashmir have been witnessing a steady decline in enrollment. This is not an isolated issue but part of a nationwide trend. Today, enrollment in India’s government schools has fallen consistently over the last three years, dropping from 251.8 million in 2022-23 to 246.9 million in 2024-25.
While education standards across India have been improved according to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER-2024), J&K has shown a worrying decline, with learning losses of 2.3 percentage points in reading and 2.1 percentage points in arithmetic. As mentioned in one of the above-cited reports, nearly 4,400 government schools have been merged or removed from records like UDISE because of low or zero enrollment—a reality that is reshaping the education landscape of the J&K UT.
REASONS FOR ENROLLMENT FALL
One of the main reasons for this decline lies in the state of infrastructure. Many schools still lack the most basic facilities. For parents, such deficits translate directly into safety and dignity concerns for their children. “My daughter refused to go back because the school toilet was locked for weeks,” said a concerned parent. In such conditions, even free schooling loses its appeal. Equally worrying is the shortage of teachers and accountability issues. Several schools have only a single teacher managing multiple classes, while others record frequent teacher absenteeism. During an inspection in some of the schools of North Kashmir, as revealed by a recent news report, several teachers were found absent from duty. When classrooms are left unattended, learning quality collapses, and parents lose faith in the system.
“Accountability, especially in the primary schools where local teachers are posted, is missing. This leads to mistrust among the parents,” said a teacher holding a PhD in Education (on the basis of anonymity). “Local teachers do not take their duties seriously, which portrays a negative image of government teachers in society, thus forcing parents to admit their wards in private educational institutions,” he further said.
Another powerful driver is the perception of private schools as superior alternatives. Despite heavy fees, families—even from low-income backgrounds—are shifting their children to private institutions. They promise English-medium teaching, discipline, and modern facilities. “I sold a piece of gold,” as confessed by a mother from North Kashmir, “to put her in a private school. At least she is safe there.” Ironically, even government teachers often prefer private schools for their own children, reinforcing parents’ mistrust.
Beyond these structural issues, economic and social pressures are at play, too. Families struggling with inflation or unemployment sometimes withdraw children from schools to save on “hidden” costs like uniforms and transportation, or to have them contribute to household income. Seasonal migration among the nomadic community (Gujjar and Bakarwal) further disrupts consistent attendance, leaving government schools underpopulated in remote belts. The cumulative effect of these factors is stark. Enrollment has not only fallen in absolute numbers but also weakened retention rates. Many children leave after primary or middle school, seeking better opportunities elsewhere.
REMEDIAL MEASURES
Reversing this decline requires targeted and practical reforms, and some of them include:
– Prioritising digital classrooms and basic furniture—desks, chairs, blackboards, etc. For example, enrollment in the schools of Kerala and Himachal Pradesh increased by making government schools “model schools” with smart boards and libraries.
– Filling up the vacant posts, especially in rural and hilly areas, with qualified teachers.
– Introducing strict monitoring to curb absenteeism.
– Offering special allowances/incentives to teachers serving in remote or border areas.
– Providing school buses or travel stipends to reduce the burden of distance after rationalisation/mergers. In hilly areas, build hostels or seasonal residential schools for nomadic children.
– Ensuring computer literacy and vocational training at higher levels.
– Conducting regular teacher training programmes to modernise teaching methods.
– Forming active School Management Committees (SMCs) to involve parents in decision-making.
– Running awareness drives that showcase successful government school students.
– Ensuring separate, safe sanitation facilities for girls in every school.
– Providing cycles, scholarships, or travel support for girls from distant villages.
– Running awareness campaigns addressing cultural and safety concerns.
– Conducting independent audits of infrastructure, teacher attendance, and student learning outcomes.
– Using digital dashboards for tracking progress by parents, civil society, etc.
– Integrating Anganwadi centres with primary schools to ensure early enrollment and smooth transition into schooling.
BOTTOM LINE:
The decline in government school enrollment in J&K is not merely a statistical concern; it reflects deeper questions of equity, access, and trust. If tackled with timely reforms, government schools can once again emerge as inclusive institutions delivering quality education to the future generation. But if ignored, the gap between public and private education will only widen, leaving future generations at risk.
The writer, a postgraduate in Economics, is a civil service aspirant