Abrar Nabi
Srinagar, Feb 07 : The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday said the school education sector in the Union Territory has undergone a major transformation in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with a focus on equity, inclusion and quality.
The government said literacy in Jammu and Kashmir has risen significantly from 11.03 per cent in 1961 to 68.74 per cent in 2011, while enrolment across schools continues to show an upward trend.
According to official data, the Union Territory currently has 24,137 schools, including 18,724 government schools and 5,413 run by other managements. Total student enrolment from pre-primary to Class XII stood at over 26.17 lakh during the academic year 2024–25.
The government said gender inclusion has strengthened, with the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of girls exceeding the overall averages across levels. In 2024–25, GER of girls stood at 114.5 at the primary level, 80.0 at upper primary and 67.5 at the secondary level, reflecting the impact of initiatives such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
Dropout rates have declined sharply, with primary dropout at 1.5 per cent, upper primary at 3.2 per cent and secondary at 12.9 per cent, the government said.
It said access to schooling has improved, with over 98 per cent access at all levels. Availability of basic infrastructure has also increased, including girls’ toilets in 90.84 per cent schools, boys’ toilets in 88.49 per cent, libraries in 75.10 per cent, electricity in 91.44 per cent, computers in 39 per cent and internet connectivity in 49 per cent schools, though digital infrastructure remains a focus area.
Transition rates have improved significantly, with 94.8 per cent of students moving from primary to upper primary, 90.7 per cent from elementary to secondary, and 72.9 per cent from secondary to higher secondary. The Gross Access Ratio remains above 98 per cent across all stages, the government said.
The government said flagship schemes such as Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, PM POSHAN, PM-SHRI and ULLAS have played a key role in strengthening the education system. About 1.85 lakh children are now enrolled in government pre-primary classes.
Vocational education has been introduced in 1,350 schools, benefiting around 1.54 lakh students, it said.
To strengthen monitoring and learning outcomes, the Vidya Samiksha Kendra has been established with AI-based chatbots and digital studios.
The government said 3,008 ICT and computer-assisted learning labs have already been set up, while another 2,036 ICT labs and 4,272 smart classrooms are in the process of being established.
On infrastructure development, the government said 1,766 school works were completed during 2024–25, while 946 works have been completed in 2025–26 up to November. Kindergarten education has been expanded with the support of 13,804 AAYAs.
It said 396 schools have been approved for upgradation under the PM-SHRI scheme, while 746 school complexes have been created to optimise resources in line with NEP 2020.
To further expand access to education, the government said it is launching JK e-Pathshala, a free television channel that will broadcast curriculum-based lessons and lectures in local languages, particularly benefiting students in remote and far-flung areas.(KNS).
