The correct understanding of Jammu and Kashmir's educational scenario lies between the official claims and the public criticism. Of course there are achievements, but there is also a need to fill the gaps for a real educational transformation. 

Education in J&K Union Territory has expanded significantly over the years, bringing millions of children within the ambit of formal schooling. Yet, the real measure of an education system lies not merely in the number of schools, enrollment figures or infrastructure created, but in what children actually learn and how successfully they progress through different stages of education. The latest evidence from NITI Aayog, UDISE+, PARAKH, ASER and UNESCO provides an opportunity to examine Kashmir’s educational achievements alongside its persistent challenges.

High Enrolment

The NITI Aayog report, School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement, released in May 2026, analyses a decade of educational trends using UDISE+ data from 2014–15 to 2024–25, alongside PARAKH 2024, National Achievement Survey and ASER 2024 findings. Its implications for Jammu and Kashmir deserve particular attention.One notable achievement is the improvement in primary stage Gross Enrolment Ratio or GER, which increased from 87.22 per cent in 2014–15 to 113.7 per cent in 2024–25. This places J&K among the regions with comparatively high primary enrolment indicators. However, GER above 100 per cent does not mean that every child is enrolled. It includes students younger or older than the official age group, making it an indicator of participation rather than universal coverage.

The more pressing concern emerges at higher stages. Our UTs GER stood at 77.3 per cent at upper-primary level, 66.1 per cent at secondary level and 44.8 per cent at higher secondary stage in 2024–25. Moreover, higher secondary GER declined from 48.58 per cent in 2014–15 to 44.8% during the current academic session. These figures raise questions about continuity, retention and the transition from one educational stage to another. They warrant investigation into school availability, economic circumstances, student aspirations and other possible barriers.

Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes, which form the core of a successful education system present another important dimension. PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, as reported by NITI Aayog, places J&K’s middle-stage scores below national averages in language, mathematics, science and social science. The reported scores were 50, 32, 38 and 36 per cent respectively, compared with national averages of 54, 37, 40 and 40 per cent. These findings underline the need to strengthen conceptual understanding, foundational competencies and the application of knowledge rather than concentrating exclusively on syllabus completion and examination performance.ASER 2024 conducted by Pratham’s ASER Centre, offers another perspective by assessing learner's basic reading and arithmetic abilities. Its rural focus makes it valuable for understanding learning beyond formal school records.

UDISE+ remains indispensable for examining enrolment, teachers, infrastructure, retention and school facilities.Its 2025–26 database is now available, providing a newer reference point for assessing educational provision. 

The challenge is to extract and compare the corresponding J&K figures systematically rather than mix national statistics with Union Territory data.UNESCO’s 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report, Access and Equity, broadens this discussion by examining participation and disparities associated with gender, location, wealth and disability. 

Educational Access

For Kashmir, this perspective is particularly relevant to remote mountainous areas, disadvantaged communities and children requiring additional educational support. Equal access must mean more than admission to school; it must include meaningful opportunities to learn and progress. Interestingly, an overall pupil-teacher ratio of 16:1, compared with the national ratio of 24:1.Yet, the presence of 1371 single-teacher schools in 2024–25, rising to 1544 in 2025–26 highlights that favourable averages can conceal inequalities in teacher distribution and access to quality education. 

This reinforces UNESCO’s emphasis on equity, every child’s educational opportunity depends not simply on the number of teachers available across the system but on whether adequately staffed schools are accessible to children in remote and disadvantaged communities

The NEP-2020 offers a framework for addressing the concerns of learning gaps or learning levels through foundational literacy and numeracy, experiential learning, vocational education, multilingualism and competency based assessment. Its success, however, depends on implementation in classrooms, appropriate teacher deployment, academic support and sustained monitoring.

What Really Matters

Kashmir’s educational debate must therefore move beyond isolated achievements or criticism. The priorities must be clear, strengthen foundational learning, improve retention at secondary and higher-secondary levels, address disparities between schools and fair distribution of teachers. A decade-long comparison should distinguish genuine improvements from persistent gaps.

Ultimately, the question is not simply whether children enter school but whether they remain in the system and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for life and national and global competition. That is the standard against which Kashmir’s educational progress must be measured.

(The author is an Indian educationist and columnist based in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir who writes on educational, social and youth related issues. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at rayeesmasroor111@gmail.com)