India's Gross Enrolment Ratio Rises, More Girls, Kids With Special Needs go to Schools Now: Govt Data

The gross enrolment ratio in India has increased. This means, more kids go to school now. Over 19.36 lakh more kids are enrolled in schools in 2021-22 as compared to 2020-21, according to Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+).

In 2021-22 total students enrolled in school education from primary to higher secondary stood at 25.57 crore as compared to 25.38 crore enrolment in 2020-21, registering an increase of 19.36 lakh enrolments, as per the government data.

The rise correspondent to an increase in the number of kids from socially and economically backward communities going to schools. There has been increasing in girls and kids with special needs going to school.

Notably, GER in higher secondary has made a significant improvement from 53.8 per cent in 2021-21 to 57.6 per cent in 2021-22.

More Kids with Special  Needs in Schools

Total enrolment of Children with Special Needs (CWSN) in 2021-22 stands at 22.67 lakh as compared to 21.91 lakh in 2020-21 showing an improvement of 3.45% over 2020-21, as per govt data.

Total number of Scheduled caste enrolment increased to 4.82 Crore in 2021-22 as compared to 4.78 Crore in 2020-21. Similarly, total Scheduled Tribe enrolment increased to 2.51 crore in 2021-22 from 2.49 crore in 2020-21. Total other backward students also increased to 11.48 crore in 2021-22 from 11.35 crore in 2020-21.

Rise in Girls in Schools

In 2021-22 over 12.29 crore girls are enrolled in primary to higher secondary showing an increase of 8.19 lakh compared to the enrolment of girls in 2020-21. The Gender Parity Index (GPI) of GER shows the representation of females in school education is in line with the representation of girls in the population of the corresponding age group. The GPI value at all levels of school education is one or more implying more participation of girls in school education.

In 2021-22, the total number of Scheduled Caste (SC) students from Primary to Higher Secondary has gone up to 4.83 crore from 4.78 crore in 2020-21. Similarly, total Scheduled Tribe (ST) students have gone up from 2.49 crore to 2.51 crore, and Other Backward Caste (OBC) students from 11.35 crore to 11.49 crore during 2020-21 and 2021-22.

The total number of schools in 2021-22 stood at 14.89 lakhs as compared to 15.09 lakhs in 2020-21. The decline in total schools is mainly due to the closure of private and other management schools and the grouping/ clustering of schools by various States.

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