146 Jammu Kashmir Schools Have Zero Students, Over 1,350 Operate With Single Teacher: Ministry of Education

146 Jammu Kashmir Schools Have Zero Students, Over 1,350 Operate With Single Teacher: Ministry of Education

SRINAGAR, July 11, 2026 [VoM News]: : The Ministry of Education (MoE) has raised concern over low enrolment and teacher shortages in government schools across Jammu and Kashmir, revealing that 146 schools in the Union Territory are functioning without a single student, while more than 1,350 schools have only one teacher.

watch the video:

According to the ministry, 141 primary schools and five upper primary schools reported zero enrolment. It also said 1,762 primary schools and 135 upper primary schools have fewer than 15 students, while 5,175 primary schools and 748 upper primary schools have enrolment below 30.

The MoE urged the Jammu and Kashmir administration to conduct a detailed review of such schools and adopt measures to improve student enrolment.

On staffing, the ministry said 1,278 primary schools and 77 upper primary schools are operating with a single teacher. It directed the administration to take corrective steps and ensure compliance with Right to Education (RTE) norms.

The figures add to concerns raised earlier this year. In March, the Jammu and Kashmir government informed the Legislative Assembly that 3,192 schools had fewer than 10 or no students since 2022, with 2,518 teachers posted in these institutions.

In 2024, nearly 4,400 government schools were removed from UDISE+ records due to zero or extremely low enrolment, reducing the number of functional government schools in the Union Territory. The report was published by the Kashmir News Observer (KNO).