Over 32,000 Maharashtra schools lack disabled-friendly toilets, UDISE+ report reveals
Thousands of state schools across Maharashtra are functioning without basic infrastructure, including electricity, internet, usable toilets, and facilities for differently-abled students, according to the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2025–26 report released by the Union Ministry of Education in Mumbai. The report highlighted massive gaps in educational accessibility and digital infrastructure across the state's 108,139 schools.
The report revealed that Maharashtra has 21,632,669 students and 750,272 teachers, averaging around 200 students and seven teachers per school. Of the total student population, 11,162,457 (51.6%) are boys and 10,470,212 (48.4%) are girls.
One of the most significant concerns highlighted in the report is the lack of facilities for differently-abled students. A total of 32,228 schools do not have separate toilets for children with disabilities, while 16,341 schools lack ramps with handrails, creating major access barriers for students with physical disabilities.
Digital infrastructure also remains a major challenge. While 90,419 schools in the state have computer facilities, only 84,530 have functional computers, leaving 23,609 schools without working computer facilities. Furthermore, internet connectivity is unavailable in 23,855 schools, limiting digital learning opportunities for students.
Power supply issues persist across the state, with only 93,999 schools having functional electricity. A total of 3,201 schools have no electricity connection at all, while another 10,938 schools have a non-functional power supply.
Sanitation infrastructure is also struggling due to poor maintenance, inadequate water supply, and pending repairs. The report noted that 2,019 girls’ toilets and 3,280 boys’ toilets are currently non-functional.
Additionally, sports and reading facilities are lacking in many institutions. Around 3,932 schools do not have a playground, and 1,099 lack a library or book bank. Digital libraries are available in only 13,550 schools, leaving 94,589 schools without access to digital reading resources.
The transition to renewable energy has also been slow, with only 23,822 schools having installed solar panels, while 84,317 have yet to adopt solar power. Kitchen gardens are available in 65,591 schools, leaving 42,548 without them.
On a positive note, all 108,139 schools in Maharashtra have access to drinking water. Hand-washing facilities are available in 107,409 schools, and annual medical check-ups are conducted in 102,866 schools.
