Lok Sabha Question No. 4308 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-12
Subject: Accessibility to Schools in remote areas
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PREM DAS RAI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 4308 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 TH DECEMBER, 2016

## Accessibility to Schools in remote areas

4308. SHRI PREM DAS RAI:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the average travel distance to a middle school in the mountain States and North-East Region in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the rate of drop out from primary to middle school in such areas compared to the national average in this regard;
- (c) the details of the steps taken to improve access to schools in said region; and
- (d) whether guidelines in this regard may be revised in mountain districts given the terrain and remoteness of the region and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

- (a): In pursuance to Section 6 of the Right of the Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 the Central Government has notified the area or limits of neighbourhood  within  which  an  elementary school  has  to  be  established  by  the appropriate Government or the local authority. Accordingly, Central Rules provide for opening of primary and upper primary schools within a walking distance of one and three kilometers of the neighbourhood respectively. All States and UTs have notified area  or limits of their neighbourhood  norms,  factoring  in  their state specific conditions, for opening of schools in accordance with the Central Rules. (b): As per Unified District Information System for Education, 2015-16 (provisional), average dropout rate at national level and in respect of mountain States and North-
- East Region in the country at primary and upper primary level is as below:

| Sl. No.   | State             |   Dropout rate at Primary level |   Dropout Rate at Upper Primary level |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|           | National Level    |                            4.13 |                                  4.03 |
| 1         | Himachal Pradesh  |                            0.64 |                                  0.87 |
| 2         | Uttarakhand       |                            4.04 |                                  1.19 |
| 3         | Jammu & Kashmir   |                            6.79 |                                  5.44 |
| 4         | Arunachal Pradesh |                           10.82 |                                  6.71 |
| 5         | Assam             |                           15.36 |                                 10.51 |
| 6         | Manipur           |                            9.66 |                                  4.2  |
| 7         | Meghalaya         |                            9.46 |                                  6.52 |
| 8         | Mizoram           |                           10.1  |                                  4.78 |
| 9         | Nagaland          |                            5.61 |                                  7.92 |
| 10        | Sikkim            |                            2.27 |                                  1.57 |
| 11        | Tripura           |                            1.28 |                                  1.99 |

(c):  The  RTE  Act,  2009  provisions  for  free  and  compulsory  education  to  children between  the  age  group  of  6-14  years.  The  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) provides assistance to State Governments and UTs to ensure quality  elementary  education  for  all  children.  Universal  enrolment  is  the  first  goal  of SSA, and hence all efforts are being made to bring all children in schools. SSA has provided 24731 primary and 15124 upper primary schools to 3 Himalayan States and 8  States  from  North  East  Region for  ensuring  universal  provisioning  of  schooling facilities. Preference for opening of school is given to tribal areas, and areas with high concentration  of  Scheduled Caste,  Scheduled Tribe and  minority  population.  In addition, 285 Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalayas,  which  are  residential  schools  for girls at upper primary level, have also been sanctioned to the Himalayan States and States from North East Region for improving access to marginalised girls particularly out of school, either drop out or never enrolled.

Under  SSA,  provisions  have  also  been  made  for  residential schools/hostels  and transportation/  escort  facility  for  children  living  in  sparsely  populated  areas,  children living  in  areas  where  schools  cannot  be  opened  due  to  unavailability  of  land  and children in need of care and protection. Under the SSA, 166 residential schools and 84 hostels have been sanctioned to these States as on 31.03.2016. Special training is also provided to all such children who are school dropouts and long absentees.

Additionally,  other  strategies  adopted  under  SSA  such  as  strengthening  school infrastructure, improving pupil-teacher ratios, providing incentives like free textbooks, uniforms for all girls, children from SC/ST community, below poverty line children and mid-day  meal  in  schools  have  proved  to  be  useful  in  increasing  the  enrolment  of children in elementary schools.

(d):  The  Central  RTE Rules make provision for relaxation of norms for opening of primary and upper primary school in places with difficult terrain where there may be risk of landslides, floods, lack of roads and in general, danger for young children in the approach from their homes to the school.

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