India’s latest UDISE+ 2025–26 report highlights a worrying trend in school education. While most children in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka begin their education, a significant number fail to reach Classes 11 and 12, raising fresh concerns about student retention and the quality of secondary education.
UDISE+ 2025–26 Report Reveals Major Retention Gap
The Union Education Ministry’s Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2025–26 report has revealed that both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka experience a steep decline in student retention by the time learners reach higher secondary education.
Although both states perform well during the early years of schooling, the transition from secondary to higher secondary remains a major challenge. The findings indicate that thousands of students leave the education system before reaching Classes 11 and 12.
Andhra Pradesh Retains Students in Early Education but Faces Higher Secondary Drop
According to the report, Andhra Pradesh has achieved a 100% student retention rate at both the primary (Classes 1–5) and elementary (Classes 1–8) levels. Moreover, the state continues to perform strongly at the secondary stage (Classes 1–10), where retention stands at 97.6%.
However, the picture changes dramatically at the higher secondary stage. Only 69.5% of students continue their education through Classes 11 and 12. Gender-wise data shows that 74.8% of girls remain in school compared with 64.5% of boys, indicating that boys are more likely to leave school before completing higher secondary education.
Karnataka Records the Lowest Higher Secondary Retention Among Compared States
Karnataka also records strong participation during the initial years of schooling. The state reports a primary retention rate of 96.8%, which falls slightly to 93.3% at the elementary stage and 87.3% at the secondary level.
Nevertheless, only 54.5% of students eventually reach Classes 11 and 12, making Karnataka one of the weaker performers among the states highlighted in the report. Furthermore, the gender gap remains significant, with 62.8% of girls continuing to higher secondary education compared with just 46.7% of boys.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu Perform Better in Student Retention
When compared with neighbouring states, Kerala records a much stronger higher secondary retention rate of 90.1%. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu reports a retention rate of 75.9%, outperforming both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The comparison suggests that stronger transition support and education policies may be helping students remain in school for longer in these states.
Teacher Qualification Levels Show a Different Picture
While Andhra Pradesh struggles with higher secondary retention, Karnataka performs better in terms of professionally qualified teachers.
In Andhra Pradesh, only 72.9% of higher secondary teachers are professionally qualified. Among them, 73% are women and 72.8% are men.
By comparison, Karnataka reports that 83.6% of teachers at the higher secondary level possess professional qualifications. The data further shows that 85.1% of male teachers and 82.1% of female teachers are professionally trained.
Top States for Professionally Qualified Higher Secondary Teachers
The report identifies several states with significantly higher levels of professionally qualified teachers than both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
| State | Higher Secondary Student Retention | Professionally Qualified Teachers |
|---|---|---|
| Kerala | 90.1% | Not Specified |
| Tamil Nadu | 75.9% | 97.7% |
| West Bengal | Not Specified | 96.8% |
| Maharashtra | Not Specified | 96.3% |
| Karnataka | 54.5% | 83.6% |
| Andhra Pradesh | 69.5% | 72.9% |
What the Findings Mean for School Education
The UDISE+ 2025–26 findings suggest that enrolling children in school is only one part of the challenge. Retaining students through higher secondary education remains equally important, especially because Classes 11 and 12 play a crucial role in preparing students for higher education, vocational training, and employment opportunities.
At the same time, professionally qualified teachers continue to be an important factor in improving learning outcomes. States with stronger teacher qualification levels may be better positioned to deliver quality education, although improving student retention requires broader efforts involving financial support, career guidance, infrastructure, and family engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which state has the lower higher secondary retention rate? | Karnataka, with 54.5%. |
| What is Andhra Pradesh’s higher secondary retention rate? | 69.5%. |
| Which state has the highest retention among those compared? | Kerala, at 90.1%. |
| Which state has more professionally qualified higher secondary teachers? | Karnataka, with 83.6%, compared with Andhra Pradesh’s 72.9%. |
| Which state leads in professionally qualified teachers? | Tamil Nadu, with 97.7% professionally qualified higher secondary teachers. |
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