Archive · 12 Dec 2025
India's Education Crisis: Millions of Girls Missing from Classrooms
In India, millions of children, especially girls, are not going to school.
This problem has been happening for many years, and it's worse in big states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
Some families move for work, others are too poor, and some children have to help at home or work instead of going to school.
The government has been trying to bring these children back to school by offering special training and support, but the problem is still very big.
More girls are dropping out in states where fewer girls go to school in the first place.
It's a big challenge to keep all children, especially girls, in school.
Between FY22 and FY26, 84.9 lakh children were reported out of school, nearly half of whom are girls.
Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of out-of-school children, with 9.9 lakh in FY26 alone.
States with higher female enrolment rates have lower percentages of girls among out-of-school children.
Main reasons for dropout include migration, socio-economic conditions, domestic responsibilities, and child labour.
Over five years, 26.46 lakh out-of-school children were re-enrolled through special training programs.
- Who
- Millions of children, nearly half of whom are girls, are missing from classrooms in India.
- What
- A persistent dropout crisis in India's education system, with a significant gender disparity.
- When
- Between Financial Year 2022 and Financial Year 2026 (till December 3, 2025).
- Where
- Across various states in India, with large states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand being most affected.
- Why
- Due to factors such as migration, socio-economic conditions, domestic responsibilities, and child labour.
- Total out-of-school children (FY22-FY26)
- 84.9 lakh
- Percentage of girls among out-of-school children
- Nearly 50%
- Top state for out-of-school children (FY26)
- Uttar Pradesh (9.9 lakh)
- States with lowest percentage of girls among out-of-school children
- Kerala (33.2%), Telangana (31.1%), Ladakh (33.3%)
- States with highest percentage of girls among out-of-school children
- Maharashtra (65.7%), Himachal Pradesh (54.8%), Mizoram (53.8%)
- Main reasons for dropout
- Migration, socio-economic conditions, domestic responsibilities, child labour
- Children re-enrolled (FY22-FY26)
- 26.46 lakh
- Funding spent on re-enrolment efforts
- Rs 626 crore