India is on the verge of ending one phase of school enrollment shortfalls. The other is still stubbornly unresolved. Recent figures presented to Parliament show that although almost every girl attends primary school, many fail to complete secondary education. The transition from childhood to adolescence continues to be a point where thousands of educational journeys come to an abrupt halt.According to the answers of the Union Education Ministry in the Lok Sabha, 8 percent of girls enrolled in secondary school dropped out before completing their education in 2025-2026. This figure shows an improvement from 12.6 percent in 2023-24 and 9.6 percent in 2024-25, but it also points to a serious concern: secondary education is still very weak in India in retaining girls.The information, taken from the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), was written by Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary in response to a question raised by MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer.
A story of success, until youth
These numbers tell two very different stories. At the beginning of primary school, girls are kept almost all over the world. The current dropout rate is 0.1 percent. With upper primary, it rises slightly to 3.4 percent.Then comes secondary school. The dropout rate has more than doubled to 8 percent, making it nearly 80 times higher than the original rate. The big jump shows that India’s problem is no longer forcing families to send daughters to school, but ensuring they stay there after adolescence.This policy is remarkably consistent in many parts of the world. Girls often go to school in their early years. Some begin to drop out between Grades 6 and 8. But the biggest drop-off comes around Grades 9 and 10, when many young people face social expectations, financial problems and limited educational support.It raises a difficult question: If India has succeeded in bringing girls into the classroom, why is it still struggling to keep them in the classroom?
Poverty alone does not explain the situation
The Centre’s response is based on findings from the Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24, citing several reasons why girls drop out of school.Some leave to supplement the family income. Some are assigned household chores. In many cases, parents no longer see the importance of higher education for their daughters.These explanations point to economic realities, but government intelligence statistics show that the issue is more complex than just poverty.Ladakh recorded the highest secondary school graduation rate among girls at 15.6 percent, followed by Assam and Karnataka (13.9 percent each), Gujarat (13.3 percent), and Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland (12.4 percent each).The existence of developed countries alongside troubled regions shows that money is only one part of the equation. Access to secondary schools, transportation, security concerns, social conditions, early marriage and the burden of unpaid domestic work are factors that contribute to continuing education.
Toilets are no longer a major problem
The parliamentary question that started the discussion was about school hygiene, an issue that had a lot to do with girls’ education. In this regard, what the government is saying paints a very encouraging picture.According to UDISE+ 2025–26, 95.4 percent of government schools now have functional toilets for girls, with more than 9.5 lakh schools across the country. Delhi, Goa and Chandigarh reported full coverage, while Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram lagged behind at 67.9 percent and 72.7 percent, respectively.However, the Ministry of Education dropped the link between toilets and school maintenance.In response, the ministry said no central study has established a direct relationship between the availability of girls’ toilets and the number of women who drop out of school.Instead, it highlighted the initiatives under Samagra Shiksha, including financial support for sanitary pad vending machines and heaters in schools. He mentioned the Health Ministry’s initiative which reaches 53.9 lakh girls every month through hygiene awareness campaign and distribution of sanitary napkins.
Beyond registration, the next challenge is education
Indian education has made undeniable progress in the last decade. The gender gap in enrollment has narrowed, and access to primary education around the world is expanding.But the latest UDISE+ statistics underscore an unpleasant truth: retention—not enrollment—is emerging as the country’s next education challenge.Adolescence changes continue to show structural disparities that classrooms alone cannot resolve. Financial risk, caregiving responsibilities, gender stereotypes and concerns about mobility often come together when girls reach high school.The decline in interest rates over the past three years is encouraging and shows that policy measures are having an impact. However, the 8 percent dropout rate still represents thousands of girls whose education ends before they finish school.As lawmakers celebrate improved enrollment and infrastructure expansion, the latest move in parliament raises a larger question: Can India truly claim success in girls’ education if the journey continues for every 12 girls before they graduate from high school?