General Studies Paper–II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations.

Context

Historically, the Indian school education system was limited only to school access, but over time its focus has shifted toward ensuring quality and continuous education. Due to the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and infrastructural reforms, India's school education today has moved beyond the level of initial access and has connected with a modern education system featuring robust infrastructure, gender equality, and digital inclusion.

What is Dropout Rate?

The dropout rate refers to the percentage of students enrolled at a specific level in a particular academic year who do not continue their enrollment in any class in the next academic year (i.e., they leave their studies midway). This rate is a key indicator for measuring the efficiency, retention capacity, and socio-economic challenges of the education system.

Reasons for Being in Discussion

• Release of UDISE+ Report: Recently, the comprehensive report of the 'Unified District Information System for Education Plus' (UDISE+) for the academic year 2025-26 was released by the Union Ministry of Education.

• Positive Trends: Along with improvements in infrastructure, digital connectivity, and pupil-teacher ratio in schools across the country, a significant decline in the school dropout rate has been recorded in this report.

About the Report and Its Key Findings

This report is released by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Union Ministry of Education. It is India's largest school education database, covering approximately 14.67 lakh schools, 1.03 crore teachers, and 24.72 crore students.

All the key points of the report are as follows:

• Decline in Dropout Rates:

  • Preparatory Level (Classes 3-5): The dropout rate has decreased from 2.3% in the year 2024-25 to 1.8%.
  • Secondary Level (Classes 9-12): A major decline has been recorded in the dropout rate, which fell from 8.2% to 7.0%.
  • Middle Level (Classes 6-8): The dropout rate at this level stood at 3.6% (a marginal increase from 3.5% in the previous year).
• Improvement in Student Retention Rate:
  • The retention rate at the middle level has increased from 82.8% to 83.7%.
  • The retention rate at the secondary level has increased from 47.2% to 51.9%.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and Transition Rate:
  • The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the secondary level has increased from 68.5% to 71.7%.
  • The transition rate of students moving from middle to secondary level improved to 88.3% (from 86.6% in the previous year).
  • The transition rate from foundational to preparatory level was 99.2%, and from preparatory to middle level was 93.8%.
• Teacher Force and Gender Representation:
  • An increase of 8.3% has been recorded in the total number of teachers compared to the year 2022-23.
  • The participation of women in the teaching workforce has increased to 54.9% (from 54.2% in the previous year), reflecting gender balance.
  • The total enrollment of girls across the country reached 48.4% with a marginal improvement (from 48.3% in the previous year).
• Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR):
  • A pupil-teacher ratio of 10:1 at the foundational level, 12:1 at the preparatory level, 17:1 at the middle level, and 21:1 at the secondary level was recorded. All these ratios are much better than the 30:1 standard of NEP 2020.
• Rationalisation of Single-Teacher and Zero-Enrollment Schools:
  • Due to the strategic strengthening of teachers, there has been a 3% reduction in single-teacher schools and a 29% decline in zero-enrollment schools.
• Infrastructure and Digital Development in Schools:
  • Electricity: Electricity facility is available in 95% of schools.
  • Drinking Water and Sanitation: Safe drinking water is available in 99.5% of schools, and functional toilets for girls are available in 98.5% of schools and for boys in 97.2% of schools.
  • Computer and Internet: The percentage of schools with computer access increased to 69.9% and the percentage of schools with internet connectivity reached 67.4%.
  • Divyang-Friendly Infrastructure: Ramps with handrails for Divyang (differently-abled) students have been arranged in about 58.2% of schools.

Significance of the Report

This report provides a foundation for evidence-based policymaking. Its data shows that the 'Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan' and digital initiatives are working on the ground. It is a reliable index of India's progress toward Sustainable Development Goal-4 (SDG 4 - Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education) and the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Analysis

Although the report highlights exceptional improvements in digital infrastructure and gender balance, the low retention rate of 51.9% at the secondary level points to a serious structural challenge. The fact that nearly half the population drops out of school by the time they reach the secondary level, after almost 100% retention at the primary level, shows that career-oriented skills, lack of transport facilities, and socio-economic pressures are still major barriers in higher education.

Way Forward

• Block-Level Secondary School Network: To facilitate access to secondary education, the density of senior secondary schools in remote areas should be increased.

• Integration of Skill Development: Vocational training should be compulsorily integrated from Class 9 onwards to make education employment-oriented and prevent dropouts.
• Targeted Financial Assistance: Scholarships and transport allowances should be expanded for children (especially girls) from socially and economically weaker backgrounds so that they can complete their secondary education.

Conclusion

The UDISE+ 2025-26 report is a historic milestone toward the democratization, gender inclusion, and creation of robust digital infrastructure in Indian school education. However, retaining students at the secondary level remains an unfinished challenge. Until we succeed in bridging this 'drop-off' gap at the secondary level, the dream of establishing a fully equitable and knowledge-based society will remain partial.

Context

Recently, a highly significant and positive change has been observed in global geopolitics. Amidst the long-standing West Asia crisis, a 14-point preliminary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been agreed upon between the United States and Iran to end the crisis and reopen the 'Strait of Hormuz', which is considered the lifeline for global trade. Although initial hiccups are visible in the implementation of this process, it is still expected that this agreement will bring stability to the global crude oil supply and prices will be able to normalize at a lower level. Amidst this historic diplomatic turning point, India needs to readjust its strategies afresh to secure its economic outlook for the year 2026-27 and its long-term growth prospects.

West Asia Crisis

The crisis in West Asia (the Israel-Palestine conflict and Iran-US tensions) is not merely a regional geopolitical conflict, but it is a sensitive issue that directly affects global energy security, the stability of maritime trade routes, and the global economic balance. Disruption in strategic transit routes like the Strait of Hormuz disrupts the supply chain across the entire world, creating a serious crisis of inflation and fiscal imbalance before developing economies.

Reasons for Recent Discussion

This topic currently remains the center of discussion among global and Indian policy-makers due to the following major reasons:

• US-Iran Historic Agreement: Agreement on a 14-point preliminary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran to end the West Asia crisis and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
• Fluctuations in Crude Oil Prices: As a result of the West Asia crisis, a sharp jump in crude oil prices was observed in the previous months. In April 2026, the average monthly price of the Indian crude oil basket reached $114.5 per barrel.
• Gradual Decline in Prices: Following diplomatic efforts, a decline in crude oil prices was recorded, which came down to $106.2 per barrel in May 2026 and further dropped to $86.3 per barrel as of June 24, 2026.
• Anticipation of Peace and Stability: If this peace agreement continues uninterrupted, there is a strong probability that crude oil prices will remain at this same lower level for the remaining three quarters of the year 2026-27.

Consequences of the US-Iran Crisis / War

Due to this geopolitical crisis, the following serious consequences were seen at the global level:

• Unprecedented Rise in Crude Oil Prices: Due to disruptions in supply, severe uncertainty arose in the global oil market, causing crude oil prices to cross $114.5 per barrel, which put a heavy pressure of input costs on highly import-dependent economies like India.
• Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Due to the partial or complete closure of this sensitive waterway, the transit of global oil tankers was disrupted. This not only led to an increase in logistics costs (freight expenses) but also completely shattered the global energy supply chain, creating a threat of inflation worldwide.

India and West Asia Crisis

India is heavily dependent on West Asia for its energy requirements. Any kind of unrest occurring in this region has a direct bearing on India's macroeconomic indicators. The resolution of this crisis is essential for India because a major portion of India's trade and oil imports is operated through the Strait of Hormuz. With the normalization of the global oil market and the safe opening of this strait, India will get major help in controlling its manufacturing and transport costs.

Growth Prospects for India for 2026-27

• Confirmation of Strong Economic Recovery: The provisional estimate of 7.7% GDP growth for the year 2025-26 by the National Statistical Office (NSO) certifies India's strong economic resurgence after the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Trend of Previous Years: According to the new GDP series, prior to this spectacular recovery, the real GDP growth rates in the years 2023-24 and 2024-25 stood at 7.2% and 7.1% respectively.
• Performance of Gross Value Added (GVA): Real Gross Value Added (GVA) growth in the year 2025-26 was even more impressive, being recorded at 7.9%. In this, especially the manufacturing, trade, transport, and financial and real estate sectors recorded a double-digit growth rate exceeding 10%.
• Inflation Status: Nominal GDP growth in the year 2025-26 stood at 8.9%, while the implicit price deflator (IPD) based inflation rate remained at a low level of just 1.1%.
• Dual Challenges (Risks) Before the Year 2026-27:
  • Energy Disruption: In the first quarter, the momentum of growth is likely to be affected due to disruptions in crude oil supply and high prices.
  • Impact of El Niño: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has estimated a 10% deficiency in monsoon this year compared to the Long Period Average (LPA). Worryingly, up to June 24, 2026, this estimated deficiency has been recorded at nearly 43%.
• Threat to Agricultural Sector: This dual combination of low rainfall due to El Niño and fertilizer shortage is a major risk to India's agricultural production in the year 2026-27. Due to this, there is an apprehension of the 'Kharif' crop being immediately affected, and subsequently the 'Rabi' crop as well. To remedy this, it may be necessary to reconsider crop-specific import-export policies.
• RBI's Estimate: Keeping all these internal and external challenges in mind, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected the real GDP growth rate for the year 2026-27 to be 6.6%.

Fiscal Prospects and Petroleum Economy

• Possibility of Higher Nominal GDP: In the year 2026-27, the nominal GDP growth rate is estimated to remain relatively higher compared to the year 2025-26. The reason for this is that the implicit price deflator (IPD) based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be higher this time than the 1.1% level of the year 2025-26.

• Mathematics of Inflation and IPD: According to the June 2026 Survey of 'Professional Forecasters' by the RBI, the median estimates for WPI and CPI inflation for the year 2026-27 were 8% and 4.9% respectively. However, considering the resolution of the West Asia crisis, the WPI inflation for the full year can be taken as 6% and CPI as 4.5%. If these are given a weightage of 60% and 40% respectively, then the underlying IPD (Implicit Price Deflator) based inflation for the year 2026-27 is estimated at approximately 5.4%.
• Positive Impact on Revenue: Combining the real GDP growth of 6.6% and the IPD inflation of 5.4%, the nominal GDP growth in the year 2026-27 is expected to be around 12.4%, which is significantly higher than the budgeted estimate (10.1%). This will increase the government's tax revenue, making it easy to absorb the adverse revenue impact resulting from excise duty cuts. However, on the expenditure front, the burden of subsidies may turn out to be higher than the budgeted estimate.
• RBI Dividend and Fiscal Deficit: An identical historic dividend of ₹2.69 lakh crore was transferred to the government by the Reserve Bank of India in FY25 (2024-25), and the RBI in May 2026 has given a new record dividend of ₹2.87 lakh crore for FY26 (2025-26). This amount fulfills a very large portion of the total target of budgeted 'dividends and profits' (₹3.16 lakh crore) for the current fiscal year. As a result of this, the budgeted fiscal deficit for the year 2026-27 is expected to remain within the set target of 4.3% of GDP or exceed it only very marginally.
• Six Main Characteristics of India's Petroleum Economy:
  • decline over time, which is a long-term auspicious sign for the country's Growing Import Dependence: India's import dependence on crude oil has increased from 54.9% in the year 1998-99 to more than 90% in the year 2025-26.
  • Decline in Domestic Production: Domestic production of crude oil has continuously fallen from its highest level of 35.9 MMT (Million Metric Tons) in the year 2011-12 to just 26 MMT in the year 2025-26.
  • Sharp Rise in Demand: The demand for petroleum products, oil, and lubricants (PoL) in the country is continuously increasing, which has generated the need for larger imports.
  • Surge in Domestic Consumption: Domestic consumption of PoL products has increased two and a half times from 90.6 MMT in the year 1998-99 to reach the level of 243.2 MMT in the year 2025-26.
  • Development of Refining Capacity: India has set up a massive and impressive refining capacity to prepare various PoL products from crude oil, which has seen continuous qualitative improvement over time.
  • Reduction in Energy Intensity: The energy intensity of India's total economic output and the intensity of the use of PoL products in GDP have shown a gradual energy-efficient growth.

Building Reserves (Strategic Reserve)

Taking advantage of this period of decreasing global crude oil prices and normalization of the supply chain, the Government of India should develop a long-term safety mechanism:

• Strengthening Commodity Reserves: The government should strengthen its fertilizer reserves and strategic reserves of all other critical primary commodities, including crude oil, on a war footing.
• Diversification of Import Sources: Instead of depending on a few selected countries or regions for crude oil, India must bring wide diversification into its import sources.
• Mitigating Transit Risk: To reduce its dependence on geopolitically sensitive transit routes like the Strait of Hormuz, alternative trade and maritime routes will have to be found. For this, clear policy estimates of required infrastructure and storage capacity must be institutionalized without delay.

Other Important Points

• Current Account Deficit (CAD) Scenario: In the year 2025-26, India's current account deficit was a mere 0.6% of GDP, with the fourth quarter (Q4) also witnessing a surplus of 0.7% of GDP.

• Projection for the Year 2026-27: The RBI's June 2026 Survey of Professional Forecasters had initially estimated the current account deficit for the year 2026-27 to be 2.1% of GDP as per their median estimate. However, due to the resolution of the
• West Asia crisis and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz leading to normalization of the oil market, there is now a positive possibility of it dropping to around 1.5% of GDP.
• Economic Benefits of Refining Capacity: By continuously increasing its domestic refining capacity, India has saved a massive amount in refining costs compared to the situation if it had directly imported finished petroleum products, which has reduced the pressure on foreign exchange reserves.

Analysis

From the analysis of the above economic and geopolitical scenarios, it becomes clear that internal factors like the monsoon deficiency caused by El Niño and the fertilizer crisis are just as big risks before the Indian economy as external factors like crude oil shocks. However, the robust dividend from the RBI and the potential jump in nominal GDP provide a strong fiscal cushion to India. This situation clarifies that India is now in a better position to withstand global shocks, but structural reforms are indispensable for long-term stability.

Way Forward

• Reversing Import Dependence: To reduce the import dependence of more than 90% on crude oil, the exploitation and exploration of domestic oil and gas resources must be given high speed.

• Green Energy Transition: The pace of transition towards nuclear power, solar, wind, and other green and alternative energy sources must be accelerated in place of conventional fuels.
• Agricultural Safety Net: To mitigate the risks of El Niño, micro-irrigation must be promoted, time-bound black-marketing-free supply of fertilizers must be ensured, and a flexible crop-specific import-export policy must be adopted as per requirement.
• Investment in Infrastructure: Rapid development of infrastructure under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to increase the storage capacity of strategic oil and fertilizer reserves.

Conclusion

The blueprint of the Indian economy's growth is based on the fundamental assumption that long-term peace and stability will prevail in West Asia. If this diplomatic assumption turns out to be correct, India will remain a 'bright spot' in the global economy with a real GDP growth of 6.6% and a controlled current account deficit. On the contrary, if the peace talks fail and geopolitical tensions re-emerge, the entire global economy, including India, will have to face an extremely difficult and challenging situation. Therefore, India should utilize the current favorable time to fortify its internal economic immune system through self-reliance and strategic reserve building.