SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir’s secondary school dropout rate rose to 11.6 per cent in 2025-26, up from 6 per cent in 2021-22, even as the dropout rate at the primary level declined sharply to 1.1 per cent from 4 per cent during the same period, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The latest UDISE+ data showed that JK’s secondary dropout rate increased from 6 per cent in 2021-22 to 9 per cent in 2022-23 and further to 13.4 per cent in 2023-24. It subsequently declined to 12.9 per cent in 2024-25 and 11.6 per cent in 2025-26.
At the primary level, the dropout rate stood at 4 per cent in 2021-22 and peaked at 8.9 per cent in 2022-23 before falling to 1.6 per cent in 2023-24, 1.5 per cent in 2024-25 and 1.1 per cent in 2025-26.
The national secondary dropout rate stood at 9.5 per cent in 2025-26, placing JK 2.1 percentage points above the national average. At the primary level, the national rate was 0.3 per cent.
The figures were provided by the Ministry of Education in response to a Lok Sabha question on dropout rates among school students during the last five years.
The Centre said the major reasons identified for students never attending school included the need to supplement household income and engagement in domestic chores, citing findings from the 2025 Periodic Labour Force Survey.
The government said it supports States and Union Territories through the Centrally Sponsored Samagra Shiksha scheme and PM POSHAN to improve enrolment and reduce dropouts. Measures include strengthening schools up to the senior secondary level, improving infrastructure, residential facilities and hostels, transport and escort facilities, enrolment drives, seasonal hostels, vocational education, ICT facilities, and provision of free textbooks and uniforms.
For girls and disadvantaged groups, the measures include Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, residential schools and hostels under initiatives including PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.
The Ministry also said Vidya Samiksha Kendras and the APAAR student ID system were being used to monitor education indicators and track students to help prevent dropouts. Vidya Samiksha Kendras facilitate student tracking, including monitoring transfers between schools and other education-related indicators.
The government clarified that education is a concurrent subject and that the majority of schools fall under the jurisdiction of the respective State and UT governments.
