26 Percent Drop in Out-Of-School Kids Since 2009

BANGALORE: A latest survey mandated by Human Resource Development Ministry reveals a 26 percent drop in out-of-school (OoS) children in the country, since 2009.

Indian Market Research Bureau conducted the survey for the ministry which shows that OoS children have declined to 60.6 lakh from 81.5 lakh in 2009. In the very first survey conducted back in 2005, as high as 1.34 crore children were out of school.

Fascinatingly, there were fewer girls out of school than boys. Also girls have done better than boys consistently in all three surveys—for years ’05, ’09, and ‘14.

A simultaneous survey of OoS slum children was done for the first time and their number was found to be 4.73 lakh.

A continuing drop in the number of OoS children is noticed among scheduled castes and Muslims. There was a marginal drop among tribal OoS children from 10.69 lakh in 2009 to 10.07 lakh in 2014.

However, states such as Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Delhi, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal witnessed a decline in the OoS children.  The remaining 13 states’ and Union Territories’ percentages  have increased, since 2009. These include Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand.

What targets the good work of Right to Education is that the decline in OoS disabled children has followed a specific trajectory. In 2005, 5.82 lakh disabled children were out of school which is followed by 9.88 lakh in 2009 and now in the latest round has again come down to 6 lakh.

RTE is said to have become more inclusive as the increase in school going kids is due to inclusion of mentally and physically challenged students. But the general acknowledgement is that a lot still needs to be done on this front.

Also Read: Online Tracking Of Government Officials
Number Of Hungry Mouths In India Has Dropped: Report