Approach:

Introduction: Present the issue of decline in school enrolment as highlighted by recent UDISE+ reports.
Body:

1. Explain the scale and pattern of the decline.
2. Critically examine contributing factors, including the shift in data methodology.
3. Highlight government rationale and implications for policy.

Conclusion: Assess the broader implications for education policy and the way forward.

Answer:

The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) reports for 2022-23 and 2023-24 reveal a significant decline of over one crore students in school enrolment compared to the 2018-19 to 2021-22 average. While such a drop may raise concerns about rising dropout rates and educational access, the Ministry of Education attributes the change largely to a methodological shift in data collection, aimed at improving the accuracy of the system.

Trends in School Enrolment Data

Enrolment Trends (2018-19 to 2023-24):
1. From 2018-19 to 2021-22, school enrolment remained steady at around 26 crore students.
2. A slight drop was recorded in 2020-21 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. In 2022-23, the number fell to 25.17 crore, and further to 24.8 crore in 2023-24.
4. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest enrolment losses of 35.65 lakh and 28.26 lakh respectively in 2023-24.

Factors Contributing to the Decline

Change in Data Collection Methodology:
1. From 2022-23, UDISE+ moved to student-wise data collection, capturing personal details including name, Aadhaar, and address.
2. This transition reduced duplication and inaccuracies common in earlier aggregate-level reporting, providing a more granular and accountable registry.
Improved Verification and Accountability:
1. Data entered by schools is now verified at multiple levels — school cluster, district, and state — making manipulation or estimation more difficult.
2. Offline data entry was permitted for remote regions, but uploading at the block level ensured central oversight.
Legacy Issues in Previous Data: Earlier, data was often compiled manually and computerised later, creating opportunities for overreporting or data inflation, often incentivised by fund allocation metrics linked to enrolment.
Post-COVID Effects and Migration:
1. The pandemic caused significant learning losses, economic distress, and migration, possibly resulting in genuine dropout spikes in some areas.
2. However, the data suggests that methodological accuracy, rather than educational disengagement, is the dominant factor.
Policy Shift Post-NEP 2020: The data revamp aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes universal participation and student-level tracking of learning outcomes, attendance, and retention.

Implications and Way Forward

While the drop in enrolment numbers appears alarming, it should be interpreted in the context of data system reform rather than purely as a regression in access.
The UDISE+ revamp ensures better planning, monitoring, and accountability in school education.
However, the government must still investigate areas with sharp declines (e.g., Bihar and UP) to distinguish between actual dropouts and data corrections.
Greater integration of UDISE+ with school-level interventions — like mid-day meals, scholarships, and attendance tracking — can help ensure no child is left behind.

The UDISE+ transformation reflects a necessary step toward data transparency and evidence-based policymaking in the Indian education system. Although the drop in enrolment figures may not directly translate to a rise in out-of-school children, it signals the need for robust monitoring, ground verification, and targeted interventions. A more accurate data infrastructure, as envisioned by NEP 2020, will be crucial in ensuring equitable, inclusive, and quality education for all.

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