(a) whether there is a decline in the dropout rate at school level;
(b) if so, the total number and the rate of school dropouts from primary, upper primary, secondary
and senior secondary schools in various States of the country as on date, State/UT-wise and gender-wise for each of the last three years; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to reduce the school dropouts?
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)
(a) to (c): As per the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), the average annual dropout rate at primary level and upper primary level has declined from 6.5% to 4.67% and from 6.56% to 3.13% during 2011-12 to 2013-14 respectively. However, the annual average dropout rate at secondary level has gone up from 14.54% in 2012-13 to 17.86% in 2013-14. The details on State-wise & gender-wise annual average dropout rate at primary/upper primary and secondary level are given at Annexure-I & II respectively.
The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) programmes provide for a multi-pronged approach to check drop out amongst children inter-alia through enhancing access to primary, upper primary & secondary schools, strengthening school infrastructure like school building, additional classrooms, toilets, drinking water facilities etc., improving the teachers pupil ratio, strategies for gender positive textbooks, gender sensitization of teachers and educational administrators. The mid-day meal programme is also implemented in elementary schools, to help retain children in schools.
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