Lok Sabha Question No. 1355 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-19
Subject: Helping Schools/College Dropouts
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Aparajita Sarangi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1355 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.09.2020

## Helping Schools/College Dropouts

## 1355. SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government maintains records indicating the number of students who dropped out of schools and colleges during and after the academic year 2019-2020;

(b) if so, the details thereof, with special reference to Odisha;

(c)  whether  it  is  true  that  the  students  have  been  dropping  out  due  to  financial  insecurity  to assist their parents generate more income and if so, the details thereof; and

(d)  whether  the  Government  is  planning  on  introducing  any  schemes  to  extend  financial assistance or fee waivers to students whose parents or guardians have lost their jobs after 25 March 2020 and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a)  &  (b):  As  per  UDISE+  2018-19  (provisional),  the  Drop-out  rate  in  Odisha  in  2018-19  at Elementary and Secondary level is 3.95 and 9.53, respectively.

(c): As per the Survey conducted by this Department through an independent agency (IMRB) and Report of NSS 75 th Round, one of the  reasons for students dropping out of schools and colleges was financial/economic reasons.

(d): The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, provides for free and compulsory elementary education to children in the 6 to 14 years age group. Further, Education is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and majority of the schools are under the jurisdiction of the respective State and Union Territory (UT) Government. Thus, the matter  relating  to  fees  and  its  components  in  schools  are  regulated  in  terms  of  Rules  and Instructions of the concerned State and UT Government. The Government of India through the Samagra  Shiksha  scheme  supports  all  States  &  UTs  in  reducing  drop-out  rate  through opening/strengthening  of  new  schools  upto  senior  secondary  level,  construction  of  school buildings  &  additional  classrooms,  setting  up,  up-gradation  and  running  of  Kasturba  Gandhi Balika  Vidyalayas,  setting  up  of  residential  schools/hostels,  free  uniforms,  free  text  books, transport  allowance  and  undertaking  enrolment  drives,  residential  as  well  as  non  residential trainings,  Seasonal  Hostels/  residential  camps  etc.  Financial  assistance  is  also  provided  for Inclusive Education of children with special needs. Also, Mid-Day-Meal is provided to students at the elementary level of education.

The University Grants Commission vide D.O. letter 1-1/2020/UGC(TF-COVID-19/Fee) dated  27 th May,  2020,  has  requested  the  universities  and  colleges  to  consider  individual requests from students, concerning payment of fees, in a considerate manner, keeping in view the present COVID-19 pandemic. A copy of the same is available at https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/3032596\_Letter\_Payment\_of\_Fee.pdf.

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