Lok Sabha Question No. 1460 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-05
Subject: Education Systems
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Adhikari Dibyendu

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1460 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 TH  MARCH, 2018

## Education Systems

1460. SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that there are 264 million children and youth out of school;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether in higher education 40 per cent seats of technological/technical colleges are lying vacant during the last three years and the number of medical colleges and teaching hospitals have been closed during these years;
- (d) whether the Government has any proposals for improving education system with commitment and enrolment of student to overcome the challenges of the institutions therein and the accountability of the Government for education to all; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

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

- (a)  &  (b):  As  per  the  report  jointly  released  by  the  UNESCO  Institute  for  Statistics and the Global Education Monitoring, worldwide 264 million children and youth are out of school for the school year ending in 2015. This includes 61 million children of primary school age (about 6 to 11 years), 62 million adolescents of lower secondary school age (about 12 to 14 years), and 141 million youth of upper secondary school age (about 15 to 17 years).

However, as per an Independent survey commissioned in 2014 by the Ministry of Human  Resource  Development,  60.64  lakh  children  were  estimated  to  be  out  of school in the age group of 6-13 years in India. The number of out of school children in the country in the age group of 6 to 13 years declined from 134.59 lakh in 2005 to 81.50 lakh in 2009 and further to 60.64 lakh in 2014.

(c): The information is being collected.

(d)  &  (e): Universalization  of  elementary  education is  one  of  the  goals  of  Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which is the designated scheme for implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. Section 4 of the RTE Act, 2009 provides for special training for age appropriate admission of out of  school  children.  Those  children  who  have  missed  out  certain  academic  years either for never enrolled to school or having dropped out of school, have a right to Special  Training  in  residential  and  non  residential  mode,  subsequently  to  be mainstreamed in formal schools in age appropriate class. SSA has been successful in achieving considerable progress in its goal of universal access and retention with 99.36%  habitations  having  schools  at  primary  and  98.20%  habitations  having schools  at  upper  primary  level.  Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalayas,  which  are residential schools for girls at upper primary level, have also been sanctioned to the States  for  improving  access  to  marginalised  girls  particularly  out  of  school,  either drop out or never enrolled. As per Unified District Information System for Education, 2015-16,  the  number  of total children  enrolled  at  elementary  level  has  increased from 15.1 crore in 1998-99 to 19.67 crore at present.

Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, new  secondary  schools,  strengthening  of  existing  secondary  schools,  provision  of toilet  blocks  in  existing  schools  with  separate  toilets  for  girls,  girls  hostels  in Educationally  Backward  Blocks,  projects  on  Vocational  Education  from  Class  IX onwards, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities to schools, as well as special teaching for learning enhancement, are provided to enhance access to quality education for all.

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