Pune: Decline In Government School Enrollment As Students Shift To Private Institutions In Maharashtra

Pune, 30th January 2025: The enrollment ratio of students in government and private schools in Maharashtra is undergoing a shift. A recent study shows a significant decline in the number of students opting for government schools, with a 6.5% drop between 2022 and 2024. This trend highlights a growing preference for private schools over government institutions.

The findings were revealed in the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024, published by the Pratham Education Foundation. The report, which assesses the educational landscape across the country, indicates that efforts made during the COVID-19 pandemic to boost government school enrollment have not yielded long-term success.

In 2018, the enrollment rate in government schools stood at 61.6%, which increased to 67.4% in 2022 due to targeted initiatives during the pandemic. However, by 2024, this figure had dropped to 60.9%, suggesting a shift back towards private education.

While government schools are witnessing a decline in admissions, private institutions have successfully attracted more students. Despite this shift, Maharashtra has maintained an overall school enrollment rate of over 99% for students aged 6 to 14 for the past eight years.

Even with school closures during the pandemic, the total enrollment rate increased from 99.2% in 2018 to 99.6% in 2022 and has remained stable through 2024. However, the changing distribution between government and private schools signals a significant transformation in the state’s education sector.