Govt approves 2,010 schools under SSA over 6 years; but overall numbers fall in most states

A total of 2,010 new or upgraded government schools were approved over six years under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the ministry of education (MoE) informed the Rajya Sabha, while responding to questions on school closure. Earlier, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, the ministry said that India witnessed closure or merger of 14,910 government schools in the last five years.

Between 2021-22 to 2025-26, the total newly established or upgraded schools, included 116 primary schools; 396 upper primary schools; 444 upgraded from upper primary to secondary; and 1,054 upgraded from secondary to higher secondary or added streams.

According to the data, Rajasthan has benefited the most from the scheme, with a total of 541 new or upgraded schools. Of these, 279 were upgraded from upper primary to secondary, and 262 from secondary to higher secondary. Rajasthan also got 2,573 government schools over the last five years.

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Rajasthan sees most school upgrades

Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab also saw a high number of school upgrades or new launches. In Odisha, 253 out of 376 schools were upgraded from secondary to higher secondary or added new streams. However, the state has lost a significant number of 4,589 government schools —from 53,260 in 2019-20 to 48,671 in 2023-24.

In Uttar Pradesh 147 upper primary schools were upgraded to secondary in the last six years. About 236 schools in Punjab also benefited from the scheme.

Most states lose schools despite SSA approvals

In contrast, states like Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry received approval for only one new or upgraded school each, while Maharashtra got permission for just two. Andhra Pradesh also recorded a decline of 115 government schools between 2019–20 and 2023–24. Puducherry, despite receiving approval for one school, saw an overall loss of two government schools during the same period.

The data shared by the ministry does not include states and Union Territories such as Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Bihar; Chandigarh; Daman and Diu; Delhi; Goa; Haryana; Himachal Pradesh; Kerala; Lakshadweep; Tamil Nadu; Telangana.

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State-wise govt schools

Eight states and one Union Territory – Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Mizoram, Manipur, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana — saw a rise in the number of schools over the past five years.