Girls' Dropout Rate Falls, But Gaps Remain

In the 2025-26 academic year, India recorded a significant decrease in its secondary school dropout rate for girls, reaching 8 percent. This marks the lowest figure in three years, down from 12.6 percent in 2023-24. Despite this progress, the rate for secondary education remains substantially higher than for primary education, where the dropout rate for girls is a mere 0.1 percent.

The data, sourced from the UDISE+ database and presented to the Lok Sabha, reveals a consistent pattern across states: girls' dropout rates increase significantly around classes 9 and 10. This coincides with the age of puberty and when families may prioritize work, marriage, or financial contributions over further education.

While national statistics show the overall trend, state-specific data highlights persistent challenges. Ladakh reported the highest secondary dropout rate at 15.6 percent, followed closely by Assam and Karnataka at 13.9 percent. These figures suggest factors beyond income, such as school accessibility and safety, contribute to girls leaving school.

Separately, data indicates that 95.4 percent of government schools now have functional girls' toilets. However, the ministry has not established a direct link between toilet access and dropout rates, focusing instead on initiatives like sanitary pad distribution and awareness campaigns.