Halfway Lost: 49% Don’t Make the Middle School Mark in MP

Halfway Lost: 49% Don’t Make the Middle School Mark in MP

TINA KHATRI

Nearly 49% of students enrolled in primary education in Madhya Pradesh do not continue to middle school, reveals the Comprehensive Modular Survey: Education, 2025. While the state reports a primary enrolment rate of 41.7%, this sharply declines to 21.3% at the middle school level, highlighting a significant challenge in student retention.

This decline highlights serious challenges in retaining students beyond primary schooling in Madhya Pradesh. Although the state's primary enrolment is slightly higher than the national average of 41.6%, its middle-level enrolment of 21.3% falls below the all-India average of 22.0%.

Experts warn that this substantial dropout rate between primary and middle schooling could have long-term repercussions for Madhya Pradesh’s socio-economic development. Reduced retention threatens to limit literacy growth, hamper skill development, and affect future employment prospects.

Enrolment and Dropout Rates: Madhya Pradesh in Context

Level	Madhya Pradesh (%)	All India (%)	Uttar Pradesh (%)	Tamil Nadu (%)	Kerala (%)
Primary	41.7	41.6	47.9	36.0	34.3
Middle	21.3	22.0	21.5	24.1	19.7
Drop (pp)	20.4	19.6	26.4	11.9	14.6
Drop (% relative to primary)	48.9%	47.1%	55.1%	33.1%	42.6%

pp = percentage points

Where Does Madhya Pradesh Stand?
Madhya Pradesh’s dropout rate of nearly 49% between primary and middle school is a cause for concern, as it indicates that almost half of the children enrolled in primary education discontinue before completing middle school. This rate is slightly above the national average of 47.1% and significantly higher than states like Tamil Nadu, which exhibits a dropout rate of just 33.1%.
Uttar Pradesh reports an even more alarming dropout rate of 55.1%, pointing to broader regional challenges in retaining students beyond primary education.
Gender-wise, Madhya Pradesh shows a slightly higher enrolment for females (21.9%) compared to males (20.8%) at the middle school level, a positive sign given the historical gender gap in education. Urban and rural enrolment rates are also balanced, standing at 22.1% and 21.0%, respectively, suggesting access challenges are consistent across geographies, as noted by CBSE resource person Manoj Bajpai.
“As a CBSE resource person, I observe that Madhya Pradesh is making strides in gender balance but must intensify efforts to reduce dropout rates overall,” said Bajpai.

How Dropouts Impact More Than Just Education?

The steep decline from primary to middle school enrolment has multiple implications, as discussed with CBSE coordinator UK Jha. “Loss of students at this critical stage undermines human capital development and future socio-economic growth,” warns Jha. “Children who drop out miss the essential skills and knowledge needed to contribute effectively to the workforce.”

• Human capital development is at risk, with a significant number of children missing out on foundational education needed for higher learning and skill acquisition.
• Economic growth potential could be constrained due to lower literacy and skill levels in the future workforce.
• Gender equality efforts must continue, as sustained female enrolment is critical for women’s empowerment and socio-economic progress.

Steps to Stem the Dropout Wave

To address these challenges, Keran Bahadur, an educationist, suggested:

• Improving middle school infrastructure and access, particularly in rural and tribal regions.
• Introducing retention incentives and targeted interventions to keep children, especially girls, in school.
• Enhancing community awareness and support to overcome socio-economic barriers causing dropouts.