Education System in India: How many schools are there in India? Answer will surprise you

Written By: Sumaila Zaman | Updated: May 9, 2026, 1:19 PM

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NITI Aayog recently released a policy report titled ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement’. Check details here.

NITI Aayog releases policy report on ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement’ — NITI Aayog releases policy report on ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement’

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Shri Suman Bery and CEO Smt. Nidhi Chhibber released a policy report titled ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement’ in May. The report is a policy document that presents a comprehensive, decade-long analysis of India's School Education System across key parameters such as access and enrolment, infrastructure, equity and inclusion, and learning outcomes. The photo has been taken from Freepik.

NITI Aayog ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement’ — NITI Aayog ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement’

It draws on secondary data from UDISE+ 2024-25, PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, NAS 2017 and 2021, and ASER 2024, and is informed by the National Workshop on Quality School Education convened by NITI Aayog in February 2025, which brought together over 150 participants including Secretary, Dept. of School Education, Govt. of India, Principal Secretaries of States/UTs, NCERT and SCERT Directors, District Collectors, UNESCO, NUEPA, and civil society organisations. The photo has been taken from Freepik.

How many schools are there in India? — How many schools are there in India?

According to the NITI Aayog report, India's school education system today spans 14.71 lakh schools, serving over 24.69 crore students, making it the largest system in the world. The photo has been taken from Freepik.

Check the number of Schools (2015-2025) (In Lakhs) — Check the number of Schools (2015-2025) (In Lakhs)

This photo taken from NITI Aayog's report(Source: UDISE+ 2014-15 to 2024-25) shows two-phase trend in the total number of schools over the last decade. Between 2014-15 and 2017-18, the number of schools expanded steadily, increasing from 15.16 lakh to a peak of 15.58 lakh. By 2022-23, the figure had dropped to 14.66 lakh, representing a contraction of nearly 92,000 institutions compared to the 2017-18 peak. While there was a modest uptick in 2023-24, the overall number remained broadly stable in 2024-25 at 14.71 lakh, significantly lower than the earlier peak. This screengrab has been taken from NITI Aayog's report.

Schools in India are classified into four broad categories — Schools in India are classified into four broad categories

Schools in India are classified into four broad categories based on their management structure. They are Government school, Government-Aided school, Private Unaided school and others.

What do you mean by Government school and Government-aided school? — What do you mean by Government school and Government-aided school?

A school that is funded and administered by the central or state government is known as Government School. Meanwhile, a school managed by a private body but receiving partial financial support from the government is known as government-aided school.

What do you mean by Private Unaided school and Other school? — What do you mean by Private Unaided school and Other school?

A school that is privately established, financed, and managed, with no financial assistance from the government is known as Private Unaided School. As per the report, the Others category includes madrasas, schools run by religious or charitable institutions, unrecognised private schools, and alternative education centres.

Check the number of Schools by Management Type (In lakhs ) (2014-15 to 2024-25) — Check the number of Schools by Management Type (In lakhs ) (2014-15 to 2024-25)

As per the NITI Aayog policy report(Source: UDISE+ 2014-15, 2024-25), the government schools continue to account for more than two-thirds of the total number of schools in the country. At the same time, their absolute number has declined from 11.07 lakh in 2014-15 to 10.13 lakh in 2024-25.

Grade Coverage of Schools — Grade Coverage of Schools

Schools in India are also classified based on the range of grades they offer. They are Primary only, Upper Primary only, Primary to Upper Primary, Primary to Secondary, Upper Primary to Secondary, Secondary Only, Primary to Higher Secondary, Upper Primary to Higher Secondary, Secondary to Higher Secondary, and Higher Secondary Only.

NITI Aayog ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement’ — NITI Aayog ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement’

The study also points towards encouraging gains in equity and inclusion, especially in girls’ participation and the improved enrolment of SC and ST students across educational stages. The photo has been taken from Freepik.

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