In 2024, a total of 61 lakh students cleared the science stream, marking a 16% increase from 52.4 lakh in 2022, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Education.
In response, the Union Education Ministry's Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) is urging an increase in seats and faculty in STEM programmes, given the significant surge in students clearing their Class 12 science exams. The move aims to align with shifting academic trends and growing aspirations, especially among girls.
A senior DoSEL official said, "An additional 9 lakh students passing science means we need proportional increases in STEM seats and faculty in higher education institutions to support this growth."
This trend calls for better school planning, enhanced teacher training, and improved recruitment at the state level.
Despite this progress, challenges remain as dropout rates continue to hinder advancement. Ministry data shows that in 2024, around 26.6 lakh regular Class 10 students did not progress to Class 11. Of these, 4.43 lakh did not appear for the exams, while 22.1 lakh failed.
A similar trend was seen in Class 12, where approximately 24.7 lakh students were unable to complete their higher secondary education due to failure or non-appearance in exams.
Though this marks a 47% improvement compared to 2013, it continues to obstruct progress toward achieving a higher Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER).
To address this, DoSEL is exploring ways to expand open schooling, focusing on the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), and urging states to consider merging separate Class 10 and Class 12 boards into a unified board structure to streamline examinations.
However, NIOS's effectiveness remains limited due to low penetration in many states.
In 2024, 6.98 lakh students enrolled in Class 10 through open schools, but only 3.4 lakh passed. For Class 12, 7.9 lakh students appeared-2.84 lakh through NIOS-with pass rates standing at just 54% for Class 10 and 57% for Class 12. These low pass percentages remain a concern for open boards.
The ministry report noted, "States like Delhi, Rajasthan, and Haryana have shown lower failure rates in open schooling. Other states are being encouraged to adopt similar models to help more students complete their education."
NIOS plays a vital role in offering a second chance to students who either fail board exams or are unable to continue formal education. Officials said both NIOS and state governments are being encouraged to establish more open schools to provide these students with alternative pathways to complete their education.
"Open schooling is a critical solution for academic continuity, especially for students who face disruptions due to personal, social, or financial reasons," said a senior ministry official.
The move is part of a broader strategy to improve retention and completion rates under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
India currently has 66 school examination boards-3 national and 63 state boards. Of these, 33 boards account for 97% of total student enrolment, while the remaining 33 boards serve just 3% of students. A total of 48 boards conduct exams at both the secondary (Class 10) and higher secondary (Class 12) levels.
The ministry has called for improved school-level planning, increased teacher recruitment, and enhanced state-level training initiatives.
