Improving gross enrolment ratio at the secondary level remains a challenge despite gains at lower levels of schooling in India. Analyze with reference to recent UDISE+ findings.

Q. Improving gross enrolment ratio at the secondary level remains a challenge despite gains at lower levels of schooling in India. (15 marks, 250-350 words)

Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) measures enrolment at a stage against the eligible age cohort. UDISE+ 2025-26 reports secondary GER at 71.7%, well below near-universal foundational enrolment [1] — confirming that access gains at lower stages have not yet translated into comparable secondary coverage, though the gap is narrowing.

Gains at lower levels — the base is strengthening - Transition rates improved: foundational-to-preparatory at 99.2% and middle-to-secondary at 88.3% in 2025-26 [1]. - Dropout fell at the preparatory stage to 1.8% (from 2.3%) [1]. - Teacher supply rose 8.3% over 2022-23 to about 1.03 crore, with stage-wise PTRs of 10, 12, 17 and 21 — all better than the NEP 2020 benchmark of 30:1 [1]. - Single-teacher schools declined to 1,00,843, easing a chronic quality constraint [1].

Why secondary GER still lags - Cumulative leakage: secondary dropout remains the highest at 7.0%, even after falling from 8.2% [1]. Losses at each stage compound into a thinner secondary cohort. - Transition bottleneck: the middle-to-secondary transition (88.3%) is the weakest link, far below the foundational-to-preparatory rate [1]. - Structural supply gap: secondary schooling is not covered by the RTE Act, 2009 (ages 6–14), so entitlement-driven expansion stops at the middle stage. - Socio-economic pull factors: adolescent labour, distance to secondary schools, and household costs act strongest at ages 14–18. - Facility deficits: only 69.9% of schools have computers, 67.4% internet, and 58.2% ramps and handrails — weakening the attractiveness and inclusiveness of higher grades [1].

Thus the challenge is one of retention and stage-wise supply rather than of initial access. Sustaining the momentum through Samagra Shiksha, expanding secondary-school availability within reach, strengthening vocational streams under NEP 2020, and targeted incentives for adolescent girls can convert improving transition rates into higher GER. Universalising secondary education is essential to realise Article 21A's promise in substance and SDG-4 by 2030.

(~330 words)

Sources: 1. The Union Ministry of Education Releases the Report on UDISE+ 2025-26 on School Education in India, PIB — secondary GER 71.7%, teacher numbers and 8.3% rise, stage-wise PTR vs NEP 30:1, transition rates, dropout rates, computer/internet/ramp coverage, single-teacher schools