Tamil Nadu denies permanent closure of 207 government schools with zero enrolment

The Directorate of Elementary Education, Tamil Nadu, has refuted reports claiming that 207 government schools are being shut down due to zero student enrolment. Officials clarified that these schools will remain closed temporarily but will be reopened once new admissions arise.

“Regarding the 207 schools with zero students, the government clarifies that these schools will be reopened once student numbers increase and that school closures are not a deliberate policy decision,” the official press release said.

Data for the academic year 2025–26 indicates that 208 government primary and middle schools currently have no students enrolled. In addition, 996 schools under other management categories also show zero enrolment. Authorities attributed the decline primarily to a falling birth rate, migration of families to urban or other states, and parental preference for private or self-financed schools.

Government schools record new admissions amid challenges

Tamil Nadu’s birth rate has decreased from 10.74 lakh infants in 2011 to a projected 8.78 lakh in 2026. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) also declined from 1.68 during 2011–15 to 1.54 in 2021–25. Most zero-enrolment schools are located in rural and remote areas where no children of eligible school age reside. Some schools have lost all students as families migrate to urban or coastal regions.

The Directorate highlighted that despite these challenges, government schools have enrolled 4,07,379 new students during the current academic year. This progress is supported by various initiatives, including smart classrooms, hi-tech laboratories, the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme, and infrastructure development.

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Government to boost enrolment and retention

Current Education Management Information System (EMIS) data shows that government and aided schools have 1.75 lakh more students than private self-financed schools. “Projections indicate that in the coming academic year, the government will continue to invest in increasing new student enrollments and retaining current students in government schools,” the press release said.

According to Education Management Information System (EMIS) data for the 2025–26 academic year, the state has the following school and student statistics: