This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a silent crisis unraveling across villages and towns. Behind these numbers are children walking farther to class, parents losing faith in public education, and communities where the future feels increasingly out of reach. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh lead the closure list, but the ripple effect touches every state. NITI Aayog’s report doesn’t just flag the problem; it questions whether India’s education system is still built to serve its youngest citizens. When schools vanish faster than they’re replaced, what happens to the dream of universal education? The real cost isn’t counted in rupees; it’s measured in lost potential, broken access, and a generation left behind. This isn’t just about infrastructure; it’s about priorities. And right now, the math doesn’t add up.