Chandigarh: The number of private schools in Punjab has declined over the past five years, even as enrolment in these institutions has continued to rise, according to data from the Union Ministry of Education.
Punjab had 7,978 private schools in 2021-22, which fell to 7,548 in 2025-26. This means 430 private schools closed during the period.
However, enrolment in private schools moved in the opposite direction. The number of students enrolled in private institutions increased from 28,64,397 in 2021-22 to 31,49,615 in 2025-26, a rise of 2,85,218 students.
Overall, Punjab had 27,233 schools in 2025-26, compared with 27,701 in 2021-22, indicating a decline of 468 schools across government and private categories.
Government schools see limited closures
The data suggests that the decline was largely driven by private and aided schools. Only around 18 government schools were reported to have closed during the five-year period.
The number of government-aided schools fell from 450 in 2021-22 to 432 in 2025-26. Enrolment in these institutions also declined by 15,743 students over the same period.
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has previously said that declining enrolment in government schools is a trend being witnessed across the country. The state government has also highlighted infrastructure and other reforms aimed at improving the appearance and functioning of government schools, while citing a NITI Aayog report as recognition of improvements in the sector.
At the same time, the government’s claim that students are shifting from private to government schools appears to contrast with the central data showing an increase in private-school enrolment.
Government moves to regulate private-school fees
The Punjab government is also set to introduce the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Assembly.
The proposed legislation aims to regulate fee increases by private schools. According to the government’s decision, private schools would not be allowed to increase their annual fees by more than 5% in a year.
The move is being presented as an attempt to protect parents from excessive fee increases and bring greater regulation to private educational institutions.
