India, Oct. 3 -- The latest UDISE+ report has painted a mixed picture for Maharashtra's school education sector. While the state has recorded a rise in student enrolment compared to last year, the condition of rural schools remains worrying, with hundreds facing the threat of survival due to falling student numbers.

According to data compiled till September 30, a total of 394 schools across the state reported zero student enrolment for the current academic year. Pune tops the list with 37 such schools, followed by Nagpur with 23, Ratnagiri with 24 and Nanded with 16. In Mumbai, 22 schools in the suburbs and five in the city have no students at all.

The crisis deepens when looking at schools with very low enrolment. The report shows that...