Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy questions government school enrolment claims, cites UDISE+ data

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

YSR Congress Party president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has accused the Andhra Pradesh coalition government of weakening the state’s government-school system, questioning its claim that more students are shifting from private to government schools.

In a social-media statement, Jagan cited UDISE+ data of the Union Ministry of Education to challenge the government’s narrative. He questioned how government-school enrolment could be falling if, as claimed by the coalition government, 1.10 lakh students had moved from private schools to government schools after it assumed office.

According to figures cited by Jagan, government-school enrolment declined from 40,50,116 students in 2023-24 to 34,93,450 in 2025-26, representing a fall of 5,56,666 students. During the same period, private-school enrolment reportedly increased from 45,53,380 to 48,40,296. Jagan also pointed to a decline in the number of government schools, claiming that their number fell from around 45,000 to 44,222 during the period. He argued that the figures raise questions about the government’s claims regarding the revival of public education.

Turning political, Jagan alleged that the coalition government was deliberately weakening government schools to benefit large private and corporate education institutions. He also alleged political links between the ruling TDP and corporate education groups, claiming that the government’s policies were creating favorable conditions for private institutions.

Jagan contrasted the current situation with his government’s education initiatives, citing the Mana Badi–Nadu Nedu program, under which he said Rs 8,524 crore was spent on improving school infrastructure. He also highlighted the distribution of tablets with Byju’s educational content, installation of interactive flat panels and smart TVs, and initiatives to promote English-medium education.

The former Chief Minister alleged that the current government’s publicity about government-school enrolment did not match the figures reflected in UDISE+ data. He demanded greater transparency in the presentation of education statistics and argued that the government should focus on strengthening public schools, infrastructure and student retention rather than relying on publicity. The political dispute places school enrolment, the quality of public education and the role of private institutions at the center of the continuing confrontation between the YSRCP and the coalition government.