Merging Schools in UDISE Plus Problems & How to Deal Them

Hey there! If your district or block is merging two or more schools under UDISE Plus (for example when small schools are combined or upgraded), you might be facing some tricky issues. I’ve pulled together this friendly guide to walk you through what goes wrong, why it matters, and how you can fix or avoid those problems.

Student Module

What exactly is a school “merge” in UDISE Plus?

In simple terms: when one school closes or is combined with another, the records of both (or more) schools need to be merged in UDISE Plus so that students, infrastructure, and staff carry over smoothly into the “new” school. According to official guidance, closures, mergers or upgrades of schools must be reflected in the School Profile & Student Modules. Education for All in India+2Education Ministry of India+2
If this isn’t done carefully, you’ll run into problems with missing students, wrong enrolment numbers, duplicated records, or invalid UDISE codes.

Why it’s important to get the merge right

Your school’s enrolment, funding, staffing and resource plans all depend on accurate records.
Student history must remain intact (so kids don’t lose their PEN/APAAR ID or get stuck in the wrong school).
If the UDISE code or data gets messed up, reporting dashboards will show errors—leading to district/state queries or audits.
Mergers often trigger student transfers, changes in infrastructure counts and teacher assignments—if counts don’t match, it creates holes in data.

Common Problems You’ll See During a Merge — and How to Handle Them

Problem	Why it happens	What to do
Student records missing after merge	Data from the “old” school wasn’t transferred to the new school’s database. Education for All in India	Get the student list from the old school, validate their PEN/APAAR IDs and ensure the new school imports them correctly.
Duplicate records / conflicting UDISE codes	Both schools are active in system side‑by‑side, or old code not archived. EduDel	Ensure old school code is marked “closed/merged” in UDISE, and students are moved to the new school code.
Infrastructure or staff counts wrong post merge	Facilities module may not have been updated to reflect the merged school’s new status. Education for All in India	Update the Profile & Facilities module for the merged school: enter correct building, staff numbers, classes and student strength.
Enrolment numbers drop unexpectedly	Students may not yet be captured under the new school code or there’s lag in data transfer. Education for All in India	Cross‑check the student list and enrolment records of both old & new schools and reconcile the numbers before submission.
Confusion around UDISE code usage	When a school merges, people might still use the old code or the new code hasn’t been accepted fully. Education Ministry of India	Use the valid school’s UDISE code as per the state directory, and check with block MIS for the correct code.

Step‑by‑Step: How to Make a Smooth Merge in UDISE Plus

Here’s a clear workflow you can follow:

At the old school:

Mark it as “Closed / Merged” (if required by your state) in the School Profile. Collect and finalize student, staff and infrastructure data up to the last date of operation.

At the new/receiving school

Ensure the valid UDISE code is being used and updated profile reflects consolidation (number of classes, total strength, staff, etc).

Transfer student records:

Use PEN/APAAR ID to import students from the old school into the new school’s Student Module. Validate that none are left behind.

Update facilities & teacher module:

Ensure merged school’s infrastructure, teacher details and other modules reflect the combined status.

Audit & reconcile:

Run reports to compare student‑counts, staff counts, class‑counts before and after merge. Investigate any big drops/increases.

Submit final data:

Once reconciled, submit the merged school’s data through UDISE Plus and ensure the old school’s record is closed properly.

Monitor post‑merge:

Check the data dashboard in the next cycle to confirm there are no “orphan” records or students marked in inactive/drop‑box due to merge issues.

Tips to Avoid Merge Mistakes (Quick Wins)

Communicate clearly with all stakeholders (old school staff, new school staff, block MIS) about timelines and responsibilities.
Maintain a merge log: list of students moved, staff reassigned, infrastructure items consolidated.
Use local backups of student lists, staff lists before doing the merge in the system.
Train relevant staff on how to use the Student Module and Facilities/Profile modules for merged schools.
Check the “Know Your School” / directory for correct UDISE code before data entry. UDISE Plus
After merge, keep an eye on data dashboards for unusual “inactive” or “unlinked” records—fix quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Usually the old code is archived or marked closed and the new merged school uses one valid UDISE code. The old code should not remain active in data submissions. EduDel+1

If the merge is done correctly—i.e., students are transferred with the same IDs—they should retain their history. The key is importing the records properly into the new school’s database.

This can happen if some students from the old school didn’t get imported or were left out of the system, or class/grade mapping changed incorrectly. You’ll need to reconcile student lists and submit corrections.

Yes. The merged school’s Profile & Facilities module must reflect the combined student strength, staff, buildings and resources. Otherwise reports will show inconsistencies.

Yes—it’s a risk. If student records are not correctly mapped from the old school to the new one, they may appear inactive or left behind in the “drop‑box” of data reports. Monitoring post‑merge helps catch this early.

Final Words

Merging schools in UDISE Plus isn’t just about combining two buildings—it’s about combining data, student histories, staff records and infrastructure into one clean system. If done with care, the process will be smooth and your school’s reporting will stay on track. If not, you’ll face missing students, wrong counts and unnecessary headaches. Take a little time to plan the merge, follow the checklist, and you’ll set things right.