Shimla: Himachal Pradesh’s government schools have seen a sharp decline in enrollment — nearly one lakh students lost in three years, according to the Statistical Yearbook 2024–25 released recently by the Chief Minister. Total student strength in government schools fell from 8,09,000 in 2022–23 to 7,05,342 in 2024–25. The shift includes 57,290 boys and 46,368 girls who moved from government to private schools during this period.
Despite the steep fall in pupil numbers, the number of teachers has barely changed. The workforce declined by just 699 over four years — from 66,402 in 2020–21 to 65,703 in 2024–25. This mismatch between falling student rolls and largely stable teacher strength raises questions about resource allocation and policy response.
Education experts and parents point to several reasons for the exodus to private schools. Improved English-medium instruction, modern teaching methods, and rising parental expectations are drawing students to private institutions. At the same time, lack of infrastructure, teacher absenteeism, and a perceived absence of a competitive academic environment in government schools are pushing families to opt out of public education. These trends are especially visible in urban districts such as Shimla, Mandi, Kangra, and Solan, but private schools are expanding into rural areas too.
The Statistical Yearbook also highlights that the largest declines are in rural schools. Several small village schools now have fewer than 20 students, forcing authorities to consider mergers or closures to maintain viable class sizes and manage costs. In recent months, the state has already merged and closed a number of low-strength schools as part of efforts to rationalise resources.
Policy observers say the state must urgently revamp government schooling to make it attractive again. Suggestions include pushing digital and skill-based education reforms aligned with the National Education Policy, upgrading school infrastructure, strengthening teacher accountability, and introducing pedagogical reforms to improve learning outcomes and parental confidence. Without such steps, the shift to private education could deepen, widening inequality in access and quality.
Research on student enrollment trends in Himachal Pradesh has shown a steady decline in government schools over the past decade. District-level studies have documented a consistent drop in enrollment, particularly in Kangra, Mandi, and Shimla, alongside a sharp rise in private school admissions. The primary reasons identified are poor infrastructure, irregular attendance of teachers, and limited exposure to modern teaching methods in government schools. Parents increasingly prefer English-medium private institutions, believing they offer better prospects for their children.
Studies also note that government initiatives such as merging low-strength schools, improving teacher-student ratios, and introducing digital learning programs have had limited success due to uneven implementation. Education experts stress that unless the quality of learning, infrastructure, and accountability in government schools improves, the downward trend in enrollment will continue to challenge the state’s public education system.
