Madhya Pradesh reports zero dropout at primary level in 2025-26

Madhya Pradesh has reported a zero per cent dropout rate at the primary education level for 2025-26, according to the state School Education Department. The figure marks a decline from a reported 15 per cent dropout rate in 2002-03.

The achievement was announced by Madhya Pradesh Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Chetanya Kasyap in a post shared by the state School Education Department on Sep 22.

According to the department, the primary-level dropout rate was 15 per cent in 2002-03 and has now reached zero. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had also said in June that the dropout rate in primary schools had fallen to zero over the preceding three years.

Government initiatives aimed at keeping students in school

The state has linked the improvement to measures intended to support school enrolment and retention. These include scholarships, bicycles, uniforms, laptops and other forms of assistance for students.

The government has also been conducting home-contact campaigns to identify children who have left school and help bring them back into the education system.

According to figures reported by the state, more than three lakh children have been reconnected with schooling through this initiative.

Madhya Pradesh has also expanded digital learning and vocational education in government schools as part of its broader school education measures.

Dropout rates at other levels

The improvement reported at the primary level comes alongside a decline in dropout rates at higher stages of schooling, although dropout has not reached zero across all levels.

According to figures reported by the Madhya Pradesh government, the dropout rate at the middle-school level declined from 24.70 per cent in 2002-03 to 6.2 per cent in 2025-26.

The state's latest announcement specifically concerns primary education and should not be read as a claim of zero dropout across the entire school education system.

At the national level, UDISE+ data for 2025-26 put the dropout rate at 1.8 per cent for the preparatory stage, 3.6 per cent for the middle stage and 7 per cent for the secondary stage.

The Madhya Pradesh government's announcement therefore represents a state-level claim specifically about primary education, while dropout continues to be recorded at higher stages of schooling.