School Education

Dropout rate at secondary level fell from 21.5% (2014-15) to 12.6% (2022-23), driven by expanded school infrastructure, midday meals, scholarships for girls, and Samagra Shiksha. For baseline, reliable UDISE data is available from 2014-15; earlier DISE figures use different methodology. Notable gender gap persists — girls' dropout at secondary level higher in several states. COVID-19 (2020-21) risk of dropout, especially among girls, may not be fully captured yet.

Secondary GER covers Classes 9–10 (age 14–15). Rapid rise from ~47% (2004) to ~80% (2023) reflects Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA, 2009) and continued expansion of secondary school infrastructure. GER can exceed 100% due to over-age and under-age enrolments. Improvement in access has not been matched by learning outcomes — ASER surveys consistently show only ~43% of Class 5 rural children can read a Class 2 text.