IMPHAL, Nov 3: Recent data from the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) indicates a notable trend in primary school enrollment in Haryana, Telangana, and Manipur, where more children are attending private schools compared to government institutions. This survey, the first of its kind, corroborates findings from the 2021-22 Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) survey, highlighting a significant deviation from the national trend, where government schools typically enroll the majority of students.
According to the latest Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS), the national average for children enrolled in private (or unaided) schools is 23.4%, while government schools account for 66.7% of enrollments. However, the figures are markedly different in the three states: in Haryana, 45.6% of primary students are in private schools compared to 40.2% in government schools; in Telangana, 57.5% are in private schools while 30.5% are in government schools; and Manipur has the highest percentage, with 74% of primary school children attending private institutions, leaving only 21% in government schools.
In contrast, some states maintain a strong preference for government schools. West Bengal reported the lowest percentage of students in private schools at just 5%, followed by Tripura at 6.2% and Odisha at 6.3%.
Rukmini Banerjee, CEO of Pratham Education Foundation, attributes the rise in private school enrollment to increased disposable incomes and heightened parental aspirations. She noted that while government schools often provide education in regional languages, private schools are perceived to primarily teach in English, although this may not always reflect the reality. Furthermore, the expansion of low-cost private schools has contributed to this shift nationwide.
While the overall national landscape favors government school enrollment, a closer look at urban and rural demographics reveals a different narrative. In urban areas, 43.8% of primary students attend private schools, compared to 36.5% in government schools. This trend is evident in several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, where more children are enrolled in private schools.
In rural areas, the pattern reverses, with government schools having a higher enrollment rate, except in Manipur and Telangana, where private school attendance is also significant.
The CAMS survey for 2022-23 included 302,086 households, with 173,096 in rural areas and 128,990 in urban regions. Beyond school enrollment statistics, the survey also provided insights into out-of-pocket health expenditures and access to mobile and internet services.
When examining gender enrollment, the data shows that 22.2% of girls and 24.4% of boys in primary schools attend private institutions, with the majority of both genders—68.4% of girls and 65.3% of boys—enrolled in government schools. Overall, the survey found a higher percentage of 6- to 10-year-olds enrolled in primary school in rural areas (90.5%) compared to urban areas (89.2%). This trend is consistent for both girls and boys, with slightly higher enrollment rates observed in rural settings.
