India, Feb. 3 -- The number of government schools declined by 8% but private schools increased by 14.9% in the past decade from 2014-15 to 2023-24, the government told Lok Sabha on Monday. There has been a decline of 89,441 government schools from 11,07,101 in 2014-15 to 10,17,660 in 2023-24 and an increase of 42,944 private schools from 2,88,164 to 3,31,108 in the same period.

There was a decline of 29,410 in Madhya Pradesh and 25,126 in Uttar Pradesh which together contributed 60.9% of the total 89,441 reduction in government schools. Uttar Pradesh alone with an increase of 19,305 private schools, contributed 44.9% to the total rise of 42,944 private schools in the country.

Madhya Pradesh with a decline of 24.1% from 1,21,849 in 2014-...