In the silent corners of India’s classrooms, where dreams once bloomed, a staggering truth now echoes through the chambers of Parliament.
The Silent Exodus of Indian Children from Schools
In a shocking revelation in Parliament, the government disclosed that 65.7 lakh children, including 29.8 lakh adolescent girls, have dropped out of school over the period of past five years, a grim reality unveiled by Minister Savitri Thakur in response to Congress MP Renuka Chaudhary’s inquiry.
When it comes to state wise data, Gujarat records the highest number when it comes to the children who dropped out of school and the number in 2025-26 included 2.4 lakhs total dropouts, which includes 1.1 lakh adolescent girls.
As compared to the previous year, the data is more alarming because the same number in 2024, was 54,541!
So, this means there has been a staggering 341 % increase in the number in year 2025. Notably, the number of out-of-school girls jumped from just one in 2024 to 1.1 lakh this year.
Next to Gujarat is the state of Assam, that report second-highest number of out-of-school children in 2025, identifying 1,50,906 students, which included 57,409 girls.
Gujarat and Assam were followed by Uttar Pradesh, where 99,218 students were found to be out of school in 2025, of whom 56,462 were girls.
Notably, earlier this year, the government of Uttar Pradesh decided to merge schools with fewer than 50 students into nearby institutions a move that has drawn scrutiny in the context of rising dropout numbers.
A Crisis Uncovered, A Response Unfolding
Now that we have covered the numbers, let’s try to understand the multiple factors that can be attributed to the rise in dropout number of out-of-school adolescent girls. These reasons include – Migration, Poor socio-economic conditions, Domestic responsibilities, Child labour and Other social and structural challenges.
In order to curtail the plummeting number of students, the centre highlighted that they are taking several measures under the “Samagra Shiksha scheme”, such as: Opening and strengthening schools up to senior secondary level, Construction of new school buildings and additional classrooms, Establishment and expansion of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, Free uniforms, textbooks, transport allowance, Special enrolment and retention drives, Reimbursement under the RTE Act.
In addition to this, the government shall also be providing financial assistance of up to Rs 2,000 per year for out-of-school children aged 16–19 from socio-economically disadvantaged families, enabling them to continue their education.
Under the centre’s “Bringing Children Back to School” campaign, centre has urged all States and Union Territories to take support from School Management Committees, Panchayati Raj Institutions and local communities in order to actively participating in bringing the kids back to school.
As per the spend, the parliament was informed by the government that Rs 56,694.70 crores were spent under the Samagra Shiksha scheme in 2024–25, of which the Centre contributed Rs 34,45,820 crore.
And as these new measures take root, may every forgotten classroom bloom again—one returning child at a time.
Summary
Parliament revealed that 65.7 lakh children, including 29.8 lakh adolescent girls, dropped out in five years. Gujarat saw a 341% surge in 2025, followed by Assam and Uttar Pradesh. Causes include migration, poverty and domestic burdens. The Centre is responding through Samagra Shiksha investments, incentives, and campaigns to restore enrolment and support disadvantaged youth across the entire school system nationwide.
