In a concerning revelation, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has reported that 65 government schools in Jammu and Kashmir, including 62 primary and 3 upper primary schools, have zero student enrolment. Additionally, 5,073 primary schools have fewer than 30 students, while 1,597 schools function with 15 or fewer students.
Out of 18,785 government schools in the Union Territory, 16% suffer from an adverse Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR). The Centre has urged the J&K administration to review these cases, investigate reasons behind low enrolment, and rationalise teacher deployment.
Under Samagra Shiksha, 1,869 schools were approved for skill education, but the UT has implemented the programme in only 1,621 schools, covering 72.19% across 15 sectors such as IT, healthcare, agriculture, and retail. The Ministry has recommended expanding this initiative to benefit more schools and students.
