Lok Sabha Question No. 1195 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-06
Subject: Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)
Ministry: Education
Asked by: K. Muraleedharan, Su Thirunavukkarasar, Vijayakumar (alias) Vijay Vasanth

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1195 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2021

## Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)

1195. SHRI K. MURALEEDHARAN: SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR (ALIAS) VIJAY VASANTH: SHRI THIRUNAVUKKARASAR SU:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether as per the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2021 school education in rural  areas  is  on  recovery  path  and  there  is  a  substantial  increase  in  enrolment  in Government  schools  across  Boards  and  financial  stress  pushed  kids  out  of  private schools during pandemic;
- (b)   if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (c)   whether the Government has any plan to address this issue and if so, the details thereof ;
- (d)  whether the Government has directed the States to give thrust on enrolment of children in the Government schools in the coming years and if so, the details thereof;
- (e)    if not, the reasons therefor ?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) & (b): Achievement survey released in the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) is conducted by a non-governmental organization.

(c)  to  (e):  Under  centrally  sponsored  scheme  of  Samagra  Shiksha,  financial  assistance  is provided  to  the  States/UTs  for  various  activities  to  increase  enrolment,  which  include opening/strengthening of new schools upto senior secondary level, constructions of schools 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  provided  for inclusive education of children with special needs, vocational education and ICT in schools. Also Mid-Day-Meal is provided to students at the elementary level of education.

In  order  to  prevent  drop  outs,  lower  enrolments  and  loss  of  learning,  the  Ministry  of Education has issued guidelines for identification, smooth admission process and continued education of migrant children on 13 th July, 2020, inter-alia, requesting the States to identify and enroll all such children without any procedural formalities.

Further,  to  ensure  that  children  have  access  to  education  with  quality  and  equity  and  to minimize  the  impact  of  the  pandemic  on  school  education  in  the  country,  Ministry  of Education has shared guidelines dated 7 th January, 2021 with all States  which, among others, include  identification  of  Out  of  School  Children  (OoSC)  from  age  6-18  years,  enrolment drives  and  awareness  generation,  student  support  while  schools  are  closed,  continued Education  for  Children  with  Special  Needs  (CWSN),  student  support  on  school  reopening and Teacher capacity building.

This  Department  has  also  developed  an  online  module  for  compiling  the  data  of  Out  of School Children (OoSC) identified by each State/UT and their mapping with Special Training Centres (STC)  on the PRABANDH  Portal  (http://samagrashiksha.in).  The concerned State/UT validates the child wise information of the identified OoSC and STC uploaded by the concerned Block Resource Centre of the State for monitoring the progress of mainstreaming of OoSC.

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