Elementary Education in West Bengal
Where Do We Stand?
A rigorous, data-driven examination drawing on UDISE+ 2024–25, ASER 2024, NAS 2021, and PM POSHAN data
West Bengal — home to nearly 7% of India's school-going children — presents a fascinating paradox in elementary education. The state has achieved near-universal enrolment, dramatic reductions in primary dropout, and exemplary gender parity at the foundational level. Yet beneath these headline numbers, a troubling reality persists: foundational learning gaps, declining overall enrolment, a digital divide in schools, and questions over the quality of school meals. This article synthesises the latest available data to present an evidence-based picture of where West Bengal truly stands in its elementary education journey.
🏫 1. The School Landscape: Scale and Structure
West Bengal's school education system is one of the largest in India, characterised by a dense, predominantly government-managed, primary-oriented network. Understanding its architecture is essential before examining outcomes.
All school-level structural data in this section is drawn from UDISE+ 2024–25, released by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India, and analysed by Prof. Arun C. Mehta (NIEPA) at educationforallinindia.com.[1]
The state's school system is anchored in the Banglar Shiksha portal, which serves as West Bengal's implementation of the national UDISE+ framework. The system collects real-time data from all recognised schools, feeding into planning, resource allocation, and outcome tracking under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.[2]
Nearly half of all schools without any enrolment in India are located in West Bengal, and 38% of state schools have fewer than 50 students. This creates serious challenges for efficient resource allocation. The state has been advised to pursue school mergers and composite school models to ensure viable class sizes and better facilities.[1]
👦 2. Enrolment Trends: The Paradox of Decline
West Bengal's enrolment data presents a paradox: high gross enrolment ratios at the elementary level coexist with a significant absolute decline in total student numbers. Understanding both dimensions is crucial for policy.
2.1 The Enrolment Decline
Total enrolment across all levels fell from 17.17 million in 2021–22 to 15.98 million in 2024–25 — a decline of approximately 6.9% over three years. This decline reflects a combination of demographic change (smaller birth cohorts), potential migration to private or unrecorded institutions, and systemic enrolment reporting adjustments through the improved SDMIS (Student Data Management Information System).[1]
| Indicator | 2021–22 | 2024–25 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Enrolment (all levels) | 17.17 million | 15.98 million | ▼ 6.9% |
| Elementary NER (Net Enrolment Ratio) | ~91% | >91% | ▲ Stable/slight gain |
| Elementary GPI (Girls to Boys) | 1.00 | 1.01 | ▲ Parity achieved |
| Girls' share of total enrolment | ~50% | ~50% | ▲ Equal |
| Secondary GER | 88.2 | 46.1 | ▼ Collapse |
| Higher Secondary NER | — | 29.1 | ▼ Very low |
Source: UDISE+ 2021–22 to 2024–25, analysed by Prof. Arun C. Mehta, NIEPA.[1]
2.2 Gender Parity: A Standout Achievement
One of West Bengal's most impressive achievements is its sustained gender parity. The elementary-level Gender Parity Index (GPI) rose from 1.00 to 1.01, effectively meaning girls and boys are equally enrolled. Girls' share of total enrolment has stayed at approximately 50%, and the state has consistently outperformed national averages on this metric.
However, an important caveat: while parity ratios look excellent, absolute numbers of enrolled girls have also declined, mirroring the overall enrolment contraction. The ratio may flatter, but both girls and boys are leaving the system in absolute terms.
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe GERs at most levels are above the state's overall GER and the all-India averages, suggesting that targeted welfare schemes (mid-day meals, scholarships, uniforms) have indeed improved participation among historically disadvantaged groups.[1]
🔄 3. Dropout, Transition & Retention: Wins and Warnings
The story of dropout and retention in West Bengal is a tale of two phases: a remarkable turnaround at the primary level, and a crisis that intensifies at higher stages.
3.1 Primary Level: Dramatic Improvement
Primary-level (Classes 1–5) dropout rates have plummeted from 8.6% to just 1.4% between 2021–22 and 2024–25 — an extraordinary achievement that places West Bengal among the better-performing states at the foundational level. The transition from primary to upper primary rose to approximately 98.9%, near perfect.[1]
3.2 The Secondary Crisis
Retention Rate by Stage (2024–25)
Source: National retention data (UDISE+ 2024–25); West Bengal secondary estimates from state-level analysis.[1][3]
The secondary dropout rate in West Bengal hovers around 20%, significantly higher than the national average of 11.5%.[1] This means roughly one in five students who begin Grade 9 does not complete Grade 10. In over a dozen districts, dropout at secondary level exceeded 15%.[4]
The secondary stage (Classes 9–10) has emerged as West Bengal's critical vulnerability. High dropout at this juncture truncates the benefit of years of public investment in elementary schooling. Factors driving this include economic necessity, early marriage (particularly for girls), child labour, and the absence of adequate secondary school infrastructure — only 11.6% of schools in the state offer secondary or higher secondary classes.[1][3]
3.3 ASER 2024: Out-of-School Youth
The ASER 2024 report, which surveyed nearly 650,000 children across over 600 rural districts, found that among 15–16-year-olds nationally, nearly 8% are not enrolled in school. For West Bengal specifically, ASER 2024 identified a 5.4% dropout rate among older adolescents — higher than the national rural average, and placing the state alongside Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam as areas requiring urgent attention for adolescent retention.[5]
✏️ 4. Learning Outcomes: The Unfinished Agenda
High enrolment means little if children inside classrooms are not learning. On this dimension, the picture for West Bengal is mixed — some relative bright spots in national surveys, but structural learning gaps persist.
4.1 National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021
The NAS 2021, conducted by NCERT across 1.18 lakh schools in 720 districts, assessed learning competencies of 3.4 million students in Classes 3, 5, 8, and 10 on a scaled score of 500.
| Class & Subject | WB Score | National Average | WB Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 3 — Language | 337 | 323 | 4th nationally |
| Class 3 — Mathematics | 314 | 306 | 5th nationally |
| Class 3 — EVS | ~307 | 307 | Near national avg |
| Class 5 — Language | 318 | ~300 | 4th nationally |
| Class 5 — Mathematics | Below 300 | ~284 | Declining from Cl.3 |
| Class 8 — Language | ~300 | ~295 | Mid-range |
| Class 8 — Mathematics | <280 | ~255 | Declining trend |
Source: NAS 2021, NCERT/Ministry of Education, 2022.[6][7]
West Bengal's Class 3 performance is commendable — ranking 4th in language and 5th in mathematics nationally. The state scored 337 in language against a national average of 323, and 314 in mathematics against 306.[7] However, a clear decline in scores as children move to higher classes signals that early gains are not being sustained — a pattern common across India but particularly pronounced in states with weak teacher training and high pupil–teacher ratios in upper primary grades.
"NAS 2021 shows the state performing above the national average in learning achievements, with Class III scores at 62.7% compared to 59% nationally." — Prof. Arun C. Mehta, educationforallinindia.com, January 2026[1]
4.2 ASER 2024: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
The ASER 2024 report, released by the Pratham Foundation, assessed basic reading and arithmetic among 5–16-year-olds in rural households across 605 districts. The key national findings provide important context for West Bengal:
Nationally, only about 50% of Class 5 students can read a Class 2-level text. By Class 3, just 27% of children can read at the expected level, and only 22% can do simple subtraction. Less than 30% of Class 5 students can solve a basic division problem. Among Class 8 students, only 45.8% could solve basic arithmetic problems — a marginal rise from 44.1% in 2018.[5][8]
Critically, West Bengal is listed among states that continue to struggle with foundational learning alongside Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh — despite its relatively stronger NAS 2021 showing.[5] This divergence likely reflects the difference between assessed competencies in school settings (NAS) versus household-level surveys of children in rural areas (ASER), which capture learning outcomes independent of what children are taught in class.
One significant positive from ASER 2024: government schools nationally outperformed private schools in post-pandemic learning recovery, with the proportion of Class 3 children who can read at Class 2 level rising from 16.3% in 2022 to 23.4% in 2024 in government schools — a faster recovery than in private schools. Given West Bengal's predominantly government school system, this trend is a modest but real encouragement.[8]
ASER 2024 also noted that while internet access and smartphone availability have increased, only 57% of children with access use it for educational purposes. Critically, West Bengal's school system has significant digital deficits: only about one-quarter of schools have computers, and fewer than one-fifth have internet access — far below Kerala and Tamil Nadu benchmarks.[1]
🔌 5. School Infrastructure: Solid Foundations, Glaring Gaps
Infrastructure in West Bengal's schools presents a story of strong baseline achievement on basic amenities, combined with concerning gaps in digital and advanced facilities.
5.1 Basic Infrastructure: Strengths
✅ What Works
- ~97% of schools have functional electricity
- Near-universal access to drinking water
- Functional toilets broadly available
- 97–98% of primary schools have Anganwadi pre-primary sections co-located
- Student-Teacher Ratio improved: primary PTR fell from 27 to 21; higher secondary from 28 to 21
❌ Critical Gaps
- Only ~25% of schools have computers
- Fewer than 20% have internet access
- CWSN-friendly toilets: only ~30.8% (below national avg)
- Integrated science labs: only ~39.2% at higher secondary
- Only ~25% of schools have formal pre-primary sections (rest rely on Anganwadi)
Source: UDISE+ 2024–25, analysed by Prof. Arun C. Mehta.[1]
5.2 The Digital Deficit
In an era where foundational digital skills are increasingly recognised as an essential component of quality education — and where NEP 2020 explicitly calls for digital infrastructure in all schools — West Bengal's low computer and internet penetration is a major concern. States like Kerala (computer penetration ~85%), Tamil Nadu (~70%), and even Himachal Pradesh significantly outperform West Bengal on digital readiness.
This deficit matters not just for digital literacy per se, but because digital tools are increasingly being used to address foundational learning deficits — targeted, adaptive content that can supplement classroom teaching and provide individualised support at the primary level.
5.3 Pre-Primary Education
While 97–98% of primary schools have Anganwadi centres co-located on school premises, only about one-fourth have formal pre-primary sections. This distinction matters significantly under NEP 2020's 5+3+3+4 curricular design, which envisions a structured, school-integrated Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. Co-location is not the same as integration, and the state needs to bridge this gap to ensure children arriving at Class 1 have the school readiness envisaged in national policy.[1]
🍽️ 6. PM POSHAN & Welfare Schemes: Mid-Day Meals Under Stress
The mid-day meal scheme — now known as PM POSHAN Shakti Nirman — has historically been one of the most effective demand-side interventions for improving school attendance and reducing hunger among disadvantaged children, particularly at the elementary level.
A parliamentary standing committee on education reported in March 2026 that the state of West Bengal has not received PM POSHAN funds since 2023–24. This is a deeply troubling development for a scheme that supports mid-day meals for children in Classes 1 to 8 — the exact elementary cohort this article examines.[9]
The 2025–26 Project Approval Board (PAB) meetings for PM POSHAN revealed that over 36 lakh children across India fell off the mid-day meal programme between 2023–24 and 2024–25. West Bengal was among the states recording significant drops in both enrolment coverage and scheme participation, and was asked to investigate and submit a report by June 30, 2025.[10]
The broader funding context is also concerning: nationally, only 54.9% of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan budget (the largest single scheme supporting public school education) was utilised up to February 2026 in the 2025–26 financial year — and overall education ministry schemes have seen actual expenditure of only 51.5% of budget estimates.[9]
Mid-day meals are not merely a nutritional supplement. Decades of research in India and globally show they are a powerful attendance incentive, particularly for children from economically marginalised families. Any disruption to the programme risks reversing the hard-won gains in primary dropout rates and attendance, especially among SC, ST, and girls' enrolment — the very groups that data shows are most vulnerable.
🔭 7. Challenges & The Path Forward
Drawing together evidence from UDISE+, ASER, NAS, and government programme data, a clear picture emerges of what West Bengal must prioritise in elementary education.
✅ Strengths to Build On
- Near-universal primary access (NER >91%)
- Primary dropout virtually eliminated (1.4%)
- Near-perfect primary-to-upper primary transition (98.9%)
- Strong gender parity (GPI 1.01)
- SC and ST enrolment above state average
- Above-average NAS Class 3 scores
- Improved PTR at primary (21:1)
- Near-universal electricity and basic amenities
❌ Urgent Challenges
- Declining total enrolment (−6.9% over 3 years)
- Foundational learning gaps (ASER category)
- Secondary dropout ~20% — above national avg
- Digital desert: <20% schools with internet
- PM POSHAN funding disruption
- Nearly 50% zero-enrolment schools from WB
- Inadequate formal ECCE integration
- Science labs in only 39% of H.S. schools
- Limited CWSN-accessible infrastructure
7.1 Policy Recommendations
1. School Rationalisation: The state needs a systematic, community-sensitive programme to merge low-enrolment schools — particularly the alarming stock of zero-enrolment institutions — into composite, well-resourced schools with functional upper primary and secondary sections.
2. Secondary Retention Drive: The 20% secondary dropout rate demands a multi-pronged response: mentorship programmes, conditional cash transfers for attendance, vocational integration (linking NSQF qualifications to secondary schooling), and community campaigns to address early marriage and child labour.
3. Digital Infrastructure on Priority: Under Samagra Shiksha's ICT provisions, West Bengal must fast-track computer and internet connectivity to schools — particularly in rural districts like Purulia, Bankura, and Malda where infrastructure gaps compound learning deficits.[11]
4. Resolve PM POSHAN Funding Dispute: The absence of mid-day meal funds since 2023–24 must be urgently resolved between the state and central governments. The welfare of millions of elementary school children cannot become collateral in political and fiscal disputes.
5. Strengthen Foundational Learning (FLN): In alignment with the NIPUN Bharat mission, the state must intensify its focus on ensuring all children achieve basic reading and arithmetic competencies by Grade 3. ASER data places West Bengal in the category of states still struggling on foundational learning — this cannot be accepted as a baseline.
6. Formalise ECCE: Moving beyond Anganwadi co-location to genuine NEP 2020-aligned pre-primary integration in schools will build the school readiness that reduces later dropout and improves learning trajectories.
🌟 8. Conclusion
"West Bengal's school education system displays distinct strengths that provide a solid foundation for further progress, alongside persistent weaknesses that pose significant barriers to achieving universal school education by 2030." — Prof. Arun C. Mehta, NIEPA, January 2026[1]
West Bengal's elementary education story is ultimately one of incomplete progress. The state has delivered on the promise of access — getting children, including girls, SC and ST children, into school at the primary level. It has dramatically improved primary retention. Its NAS scores at Class 3 are among India's top five.
But the work is far from done. Millions of children in rural West Bengal are receiving a diploma in attendance without achieving learning. The digital divide in schools threatens to deepen inequality in a knowledge economy. A potential collapse in mid-day meal delivery could undo years of retention gains. And more than one in five adolescents who begin secondary school do not finish it.
West Bengal sits at an inflection point. The foundational infrastructure is in place. The policy frameworks — NEP 2020, Samagra Shiksha, NIPUN Bharat, PM POSHAN — offer a roadmap. What is needed now is the political will, administrative capacity, and intergovernmental cooperation to translate access into quality learning for every child, in every district, at every level.
West Bengal has built the scaffolding of elementary education. The urgent task is to make that scaffolding support real, sustained, equitable learning — not just enrolment numbers.
📖 References
🔗 Further Reading
For those wishing to explore the topic in greater depth, the following resources are strongly recommended:
UDISE+ National Portal
Official data dashboard for all school-level indicators across India, including state and district breakdowns.
→ udiseplus.gov.inASER 2024 Full Report
Complete state-level data on enrolment, reading, and arithmetic for rural India children aged 5–16.
→ asercentre.orgNAS 2021 State Report Cards
Downloadable district and state-level learning outcomes for Classes 3, 5, 8, and 10.
→ nas.gov.inEducation for All in India (Prof. Mehta)
Comprehensive UDISE+ analyses for all major states, updated annually. A key resource for researchers and policymakers.
→ educationforallinindia.comNEP 2020 Document
The National Education Policy 2020 — the framework guiding all education reform, including the 5+3+3+4 structure and FLN targets.
→ education.gov.inSamagra Shiksha Abhiyan
The integrated scheme for school education that funds most of the infrastructure, teacher training, and retention interventions in West Bengal.
→ samagra.education.gov.inBanglar Shiksha Portal
West Bengal's school education data portal — home to UDISE+ submissions, school report cards, and district-level dashboards.
→ banglarshiksha.gov.inPratham's FLN Resources
Teaching-at-the-Right-Level (TaRL) approach and state-level FLN intervention data from Pratham, including West Bengal pilots.
→ pratham.org
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