NEW DELHI: The number of secondary schools with integrated science laboratories rose by about 10,000 in three years, but coverage fell to 54.6% in 2025-26, from 57.1% a year earlier and 55.9% in 2023-24, as the number of these schools expanded faster. The latest UDISE+ data shows the gap is not confined to govt schools – the situation was similar for govt-aided and private schools.The share of schools with secondary sections having integrated science laboratories stood at 54.6% in 2025-26, down from the three-year peak of 57.1% in 2024-25 and 55.9% in 2023-24.In absolute terms, the number of schools with such laboratories increased from 1.6 lakh in 2023-24 to 1.7 lakh in 2025-26. However, the number of schools offering secondary education rose faster – from around 2.9 lakh to 3.1 lakh, pulling down overall coverage.The report stresses the need for “adequate and safe infrastructure… computing devices, internet, libraries, and sports and recreational resources”. It also warns that an imbalance in the availability of schools at different levels “may pose the risk of large-scale dropout of students at the higher classes”.The management-wise trend is uneven.Govt schools saw integrated science lab coverage edge up from 50.2% in 2023-24 to 51.1% in 2025-26. In contrast, govt-aided schools declined from 63.2% to 59.9%, while private unaided schools fell from 60.7% to 57.5%.State-level data shows sharp contrasts. Bihar remained among the laggards, with only 26.9% of secondary schools having integrated science labs in 2025-26, though this improved from 23% in 2023-24.Assam rose sharply from 28.8% to 43.3%. Gujarat slipped from 46.7% to 43.8%, while Andhra Pradesh fell from 61.9% to 48.7% as secondary schooling expanded.Among the best performers, Delhi reported 99.7% coverage, followed by Chhattisgarh at 79.8% and Haryana at 77.4%. Goa, however, declined from 95.2% in 2023-24 to 79.6% in the latest report.