HP Govt Plans to Downgrade 85 Schools With Low Enrollment

After merging or de-notifying over 1,200 schools and 17 colleges in the past two years, the Himachal Pradesh government is now set to downgrade 83 more schools—including 65 high schools and 18 senior secondary schools—due to low student admissions.

- Shailee Dogra

SHIMLA:

The move comes in response to a sharp and steady decline in student enrollment in government schools. As per official data, the number of students enrolled in primary government schools has dropped by nearly 50% over the past two decades—from 9.71 lakh in 2003-04 to just over 4.29 lakh in 2023-24, even as the number of schools has also been reduced.

Education minister Rohit Thakur said the decision is part of a larger strategy to consolidate resources and improve educational outcomes.

"Strictly on the basis of low number of students and continuously decreasing enrollment, the government has decided to close or merge or downgrade the educational institutions," he said.

According to the minister, schools with fewer than 20 students (for high schools) and 25 students (for senior secondary schools) are being considered for downgrading. The directorate of education has already sought data on new admissions through district deputy directors.