The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has alleged a significant decline in Andhra Pradesh's government school system, citing the latest Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report released by the Union Ministry of Education. According to the party, the state lost 664 government schools during the 2025–26 academic year, while student enrolment in government schools dropped by nearly 5.87 lakh compared to the previous year.
As per the data highlighted by the YSRCP, the number of government schools in Andhra Pradesh fell from 44,886 in 2024–25 to 44,222 in 2025–26, continuing a declining trend seen over the past three academic years. During the same period, enrolment in government schools decreased from 34.93 lakh students to 29.07 lakh, marking a reduction of 5,86,666 students.
The Opposition party claimed that the figures point to a weakening public education system under the current Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led government. It also noted that while government schools and aided institutions witnessed a decline, the number of private schools increased from 15,473 to 15,710, accompanied by a rise in private school enrolment.
YSRCP leaders argued that the latest UDISE+ data reflects a steady migration of students from government-run institutions to private schools. They urged the state government to take corrective measures to strengthen public education and improve infrastructure, staffing and learning outcomes in government schools.
However, the state government has presented a contrasting view. Andhra Pradesh Education Minister N. Lokesh recently claimed that 1.10 lakh students had shifted from private schools to government schools during the current academic year, attributing the trend to improvements in the quality of education and reforms introduced by the government.
The UDISE+ report itself provides statistical data on the number of schools and student enrolment but does not specify the reasons behind the decline in government schools or enrolment. The contrasting claims by the ruling government and the Opposition have sparked a political debate over the state of public education in Andhra Pradesh, with both sides citing different data points to support their positions.
