Fixing Inactive Student Errors in UDISE Plus: A Simple Guide

In the UDISE Plus (Unified District Information System for Education Plus), student data errors such as an “Inactive” status can be a common challenge for schools. This issue often arises when a student’s information isn’t updated correctly in the system, leading to them being flagged as inactive even though they are still enrolled. It’s crucial to resolve these errors quickly to maintain accurate school records, improve data integrity, and ensure compliance with reporting requirements. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to fix the “Inactive” student status issue and offer tips to prevent it from happening again.

Student Module

Why does a student show as “Inactive”?

When a student’s record is marked “Inactive” in UDISE Plus, it means the system thinks they are no longer enrolled or active in your school’s database. This can happen because of:

A student moved/transferred to another school and the module wasn’t updated.
A wrong enrollment year or class progression entry.
The student’s data was placed into the “drop box” or “inactive” bucket by mistake during import or auto‑conversion.
Data entry/validation errors — e.g., missing or mismatched identifiers like PEN/APAAR.

Quick fix: How to reactivate a student

Here’s what to do step by step:

Log into the Student Module of UDISE Plus for your school.
Search for the student by PEN (Permanent Enrolment Number) / name.
Check their status — if “Inactive”, note why: transfer? dropout? data error?
If the student should be active, go to the drop‑box/inactive panel and select “Re‐activate” or change the status to “Active”.
Save the changes, then submit for block/district validation (if required).
After validation, verify that the student appears in the active list and will show up in your school’s enrolment count next reporting cycle.

Tips & Best Practices to Avoid Repeat Problems

Make sure you have the correct PEN / APAAR ID for the student — mismatches often cause “inactive” status.
When a student is transferred out, mark that in the system promptly rather than leaving the record open.
At year‑end, when you promote a class (e.g., Grade 5 → Grade 6), check for any students not auto‑moved and manually update them to active in the next class.
Use the “drop box” list (students flagged for review) and clear it often — a student left there too long may get marked inactive.
For rural/small schools with unstable internet: schedule data updates in moderate‑speed windows, and always backup your local copy of enrolment lists before doing the final submit.
Conduct a quick audit monthly: check for students listed in your active roll but showing inactive in UDISE, and fix them before annual submission.

Common Causes & How to Fix Them

Problem	Cause	Fix
Student shows “Inactive” though attending regularly	Class progression not updated; data stale	Update class/grade field and save; then re‑activate status
Student shows inactive after transfer in	PEN not imported; old school didn’t mark transfer	Get TC (Transfer Certificate) from old school, ensure PEN imported into new school, then mark active
Student became inactive after import	Import template had blank/mismatch fields; flagged automatically	Re‑import correct data; then manually activate
Student permanently left but still marked active	No finish/drop‑out status entered	Mark as “Left school” or “Transferred out” correctly so system doesn’t keep expecting them

How to Prevent Student Data Errors in the Future

Regularly audit student data at the end of every term to ensure progression, transfers, and withdrawals are recorded correctly.

Use automated reminders to double‑check student data changes (class promotion, transfer status) before final submissions.

Have a backup system in place, especially for schools in rural areas with poor internet connectivity.

Train staff on data entry and best practices to ensure accurate records are maintained throughout the year.

How to Handle Data Issues in Large Schools

Larger schools often face difficulties when managing multiple students in the system. To avoid this, ensure that each class teacher has access to the Student Module to verify their students’ information directly and keep the records updated.

Break the workload into smaller, manageable sections — tackle one grade at a time during data entry.

Use bulk upload features for smoother data transfer when updating records for large batches of students.

Troubleshooting Common Data Entry Mistakes

Double-check the PEN number and class/grade levels entered during data import.

Always validate personal details like name, age, and father’s name before submission.

Ensure that transfers or admissions are accurately marked in the system immediately to avoid mismatches.

FAQ’s

This can happen due to issues with class progression, missing or mismatched data, or if the student was incorrectly marked as transferred out or dropped out.

You can reactivate the student by accessing the “drop-box” or “inactive” list, selecting the student, and marking them as “Active” after resolving the issue.

Ensure that the student’s PEN/APAAR ID is correct. If the student transferred from another school, make sure their records have been properly imported.

It’s a good idea to conduct a monthly audit to ensure all student data is up-to-date and accurate, especially before the end-of-year submission.

Yes! UDISE Plus allows bulk uploads, which is a great way to manage large batches of student records. Make sure to check for any errors before submitting.

Final Words

Getting one or two students flagged as “Inactive” might seem minor — but if you don’t fix them, your school’s data (enrollment, drop‑out rate, funding eligibility, planning inputs) will be off. Take 15 minutes a month to clean up and keep your records sharp.