India has dramatically expanded schools, enrolment and literacy rates since Independence, but the next big challenge is keeping students in education. According to official data, dropout rates and weak learning outcomes remain significant concerns, particularly at the secondary and higher-secondary levels.
While access to primary education has improved substantially, the transition to higher levels remains problematic. Factors including distance to school, household economic pressures, early marriage and inadequate infrastructure contribute to student attrition. A recent parliamentary panel flagged that nearly 73 per cent of students do not continue through higher secondary education, highlighting the scale of the retention challenge.
