Delhi school overcrowding highlighted in UDISE+ 2024–25 as government plans new buildings

UDISE+ 2024–25 data shows Delhi’s school infrastructure is under pressure, with 5,556 schools serving more than 44.9 lakh students and an average enrolment of 808 per school. While 1,61,958 teachers keep the pupil–teacher ratio at 28:1, overcrowding persists. The Delhi government aims to add 50 school buildings and 8,000 classrooms in 2026–27.

Delhi’s schools are facing crowding as enrolments rise faster than buildings, a new report showed. The city has 5,556 schools serving more than 44.9 lakh students. That works out to an average of 808 students per school. The Unified District Information System for Education Plus UDISE+ 2024-25 report flagged a high enrolment share for Delhi.

Teacher numbers were steadier than building capacity, the data indicated. Schools across Delhi have 1,61,958 teachers in total. This produced an overall pupil-teacher ratio of 28:1. Even so, the report suggested that available space and facilities were under pressure. Overcrowding was linked to the mismatch between enrolment and school count.

Delhi school infrastructure plans under UDISE+ 2024-25

A senior official toldthat the Delhi government is planning additional construction. The target is around 50 new school buildings in 2026-27. The plan also includes 8,000 additional classrooms across the national capital. Officials linked the goal to growing enrolment and strain on existing facilities. The report’s figures show why capacity expansion is being considered.

Public schools form a large share of the system, the report stated. Of the 5,556 schools in Delhi, 2,681 are government institutions. This indicates many families depend on public infrastructure for schooling. The report also said Delhi had one of the highest enrolment shares against school numbers. That pattern can increase pressure on classrooms and common spaces.

Delhi school infrastructure by level and teacher distribution

The report grouped schools by education stage across Delhi. It counted 2,528 schools in foundational and preparatory levels. Middle level schools stood at 803. Secondary level schools totalled 2,225. These figures helped show where school capacity sits across grades. They also provided context for staffing and enrolment patterns.

Teacher deployment varied sharply by stage, according to the report. Foundational and preparatory levels had 26,560 teachers. Middle level had 11,564 teachers. Secondary level had 1,23,834 teachers. The level-wise pupil-teacher ratios also differed. They were 14:1 for foundational, 18:1 for preparatory, 28:1 for middle, and 19:1 for secondary.

The data also pointed to staffing stress in a small set of schools. It said 1,089 students were enrolled in single-teacher schools. The report raised concerns about teacher workload and class management. With one teacher handling many tasks, learning support can become difficult. Such schools may also struggle with supervision and administrative duties.

Delhi school infrastructure facilities: toilets, digital libraries, solar panels

Facility access was mixed across Delhi schools, the report said. Functional girls washrooms were available in 4,720 schools. Boys washrooms were functional in 4,781 schools. Digital libraries existed in only 430 schools. Solar panels were installed in 1,844 schools. The figures highlighted gaps in digital resources despite wider basic facilities.

Student participation patterns showed higher ratios for girls at several stages. Aadhaar-linked admission totalled 43,11,104 cases. At the secondary level, the gross enrolment ratio was 95.7 per cent for girls. For boys, it was 88.3 per cent. The report also listed ratios of 122 girls to 113 boys in middle, 110 to 100 in preparatory, and 54 to 50 in foundational.

With inputs from PTI