A NITI Aayog report on the state of education has flagged the presence of “shadow schools” — institutions that continue to function administratively despite having no student enrolment. In Tamil Nadu alone, the report says 311 schools are running without a single student, with 432 teachers posted to them.
The 232-page document notes that across India, 7,993 schools recorded zero enrolment, even as 20,817 teachers are shown as working in these institutions. It also highlights large numbers of schools without students in Telangana and West Bengal, pointing to a mismatch between staffing and actual classroom needs.
The report warns that such zero-enrolment schools lead to wastage of public funds and human resources. At the same time, it says 1,04,125 schools nationwide are operating with only one teacher, raising concerns about the learning outcomes of more than 33 lakh students due to inadequate staffing.
Beyond staffing, the report lists infrastructure gaps: 1.19 lakh schools still lack electricity, 14,505 do not have drinking water, and 59,829 have no handwashing facilities for students. It also points to inadequate toilets contributing to girls dropping out, and notes that only 51.7% of government higher secondary schools have science laboratories under the new education policy.
The report further questions teacher preparedness, stating that only 10–15% clear national teacher eligibility tests, and that subject teachers in mathematics, science, English and Hindi often lack full proficiency. NITI Aayog has recommended 33 action pathways with short-, medium- and long-term plans, and cautioned that solutions require coordinated work by the Centre, states and local bodies.
