Lok Sabha Question No. 2906 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-21
Subject: Closure of Schools
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Hemant Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2906 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2022

## Closure of Schools

†2906. SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of drop out schools students in the country so far since the year 2018;
- (b) the details of Maharashtra in this regard, district-wise;
- (c) the assessment made to understand the learning loss of students due to closure of schools and global pandemic;
- (d)  the  details  of  most  vulnerable  section  among  students  in  the  country  due  to geographical, socio-economic background, gender, caste, digital inequality etc; and
- (e) the comprehensive measures taken and curriculum related improvements made to provide  assistance  to  the  students  and  the  teachers  to  overcome  the  loss  due  to retraction from learning?

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

- (a):  As  per  Unified  District  Information  System  for  Education  (UDISE+),  the  annual average dropout rate of students of all categories of schools in 2018-19 and 2019-20 are as under:

## Annual Average Dropout Rate

|           | 2018-19    | 2018-19   | 2019-20    | 2019-20   |
|-----------|------------|-----------|------------|-----------|
| All India | Elementary | Secondary | Elementary | Secondary |
| All India | 4.5        | 17.9      | 1.9        | 16.1      |

Source: UDISE & UDISE+

- (b): As per UDISE+, the district-wise annual average dropout out rate for the year 201819 and 2019-20 in Maharashtra is at Annexure.
- (c): A National Achievement Survey across the country has been conducted on 12th November  2021  for  Grade  3,  5,  8  and  10  students  of  State  Government  schools, Government Aided schools, Private Unaided recognized schools and Central

Government schools for assessing the competencies attained by the students vis-a-vis learning outcomes.

(d)  &  (e):  Education  is  in  the  Concurrent  List  of  the  Constitution  and  majority  of  the schools come under the purview of the respective State and UT Government.

The Department of School Education & Literacy has, in order to prevent drop outs,  lower  enrolments  and  loss  of  learning,  issued  guidelines  on  13 th   July,  2020  for identification, smooth admission process and continued education of migrant children.

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 & UTs which, among  others,  include  identification  of  out  of  school  children  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.

Also, a comprehensive Covid action plan  has been shared with the States and UTs on 4th  May  2021,  outlining  the  role  of  local  bodies,  formation  of  nodal  group  at village/town level, conducting door-to-door/helpdesk-based/app based survey to identify out of school children, their mainstreaming and resource sharing.

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.

Further, during the pandemic, the Ministry of Education has taken various steps for  providing  continued  access  to  education,  which  are  available  to  each  category  of students irrespective of their  region  or economic standard. A comprehensive initiative called PM  e-Vidya  has  been  started  which  aims  to  unify  all  efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable multi-mode access to education. The initiative includes all forms of digital modes to provide wide access- DIKSHA (online), SWAYAM (online),  SWAYAM  PRABHA  (TV),  other  TV  Channels  including  use  of  Doordarshan and  AIR  Networks.  Further,  an  Alternate  Academic  Calendar  has  been  prepared  for learning  solutions  for  grade  1  to  12  for  both  children  with  and  without  device.  Also, PRAGYATA  guidelines  were  issued  to  States/UTs  to  facilitate  continued  education through  various  modes.  The  guidelines  inter-alia  include  situation  where  internet connectivity is not available or available with very less bandwidth, resources are shared through various platforms like television, radio etc. that do not depend on internet.

Also,  to  bridge  the  learning  gaps  and  to  ensure  continuity  of  education,  this Department has shared a  comprehensive Learning Recovery Plan with all  the  states and Union Territories on 01.02.2022 describing the actions/ activities to be undertaken by  all  the  stakeholders,  indicative  annual  calendar  of  activities,  existing  interventions which can be utilized and additional support with funds as one time measure. Further in order to provide continuous professional development opportunities  to  the  teachers,  this  Department  launched  the  NISHTHA  online  training programme using DIKSHA platform.

*****

## Annexure

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (B) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2906 FOR REPLY ON 21.03.2022 ASKED BY HON'BLE MP SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL REGARDING CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS

## Annual Average Dropout rate in Maharashtra

|                          | 2018-19                     | 2018-19          | 2019-20                     | 2019-20          |
|--------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------|-----------------------------|------------------|
| District Name            | Elementary level (I - VIII) | Secondary (IX-X) | Elementary level (I - VIII) | Secondary (IX-X) |
| AHMADNAGAR               | 0.4                         | 10.1             | -                           | 13.30            |
| AKOLA                    | 2.0                         | 8.6              | -                           | 13.61            |
| AMRAVATI                 | 1.5                         | 13.7             | 0.1                         | 15.44            |
| AURANGABAD (MAHARASHTRA) | 2.1                         | 9.5              | 0.9                         | 16.51            |
| BHANDARA                 | -                           | 6.0              | 0.5                         | 8.63             |
| BID                      | 2.2                         | 13.3             | 1.1                         | 13.45            |
| BULDANA                  | 1.1                         | 15.9             | 0.6                         | 17.00            |
| CHANDRAPUR               | 0.7                         | 13.7             | -                           | 13.56            |
| DHULE                    | 1.3                         | 18.5             | 1.2                         | 19.90            |
| GADCHIROLI               | 2.4                         | 12.2             | 1.4                         | 16.27            |
| GONDIYA                  | 0.5                         | 6.9              | -                           | 8.14             |
| HINGOLI                  | 3.8                         | 18.0             | 2.1                         | 19.89            |
| JALGAON                  | 1.2                         | 18.6             | 0.6                         | 20.07            |
| JALNA                    | 2.4                         | 11.4             | 1.8                         | 13.13            |
| KOLHAPUR                 | 0.6                         | 8.7              | 0.1                         | 8.02             |
| LATUR                    | 1.0                         | 12.5             | 0.3                         | 15.44            |
| MUMBAI (SUBURBAN)        | 22.1                        | 54.8             | 18.4                        | 53.01            |
| MUMBAI II                | -                           | 5.0              | -                           | 7.25             |
| NAGPUR                   | 0.6                         | 9.9              | 0.5                         | 11.19            |
| NANDED                   | 2.7                         | 16.6             | 1.7                         | 18.30            |
| NANDURBAR                | 3.3                         | 21.1             | 2.0                         | 21.21            |
| NASHIK                   | 1.5                         | 17.7             | 0.3                         | 18.84            |
| OSMANABAD                | 1.6                         | 19.5             | 0.9                         | 22.04            |
| PALGHAR                  | 3.0                         | 16.9             | 1.0                         | 18.58            |
| PARBHANI                 | 2.0                         | 13.5             | 1.8                         | 19.44            |
| PUNE                     | 0.2                         | 12.7             | -                           | 12.88            |
| RAIGARH (MAHARASHTRA)    | 0.4                         | 17.0             | 0.2                         | 17.79            |
| RATNAGIRI                | 1.0                         | 14.5             | 0.7                         | 14.52            |
| SANGLI                   | 0.4                         | 12.6             | -                           | 14.16            |
| SATARA                   | 0.8                         | 10.1             | 0.1                         | 11.90            |
| SINDHUDURG               | 0.4                         | 8.7              | -                           | 8.74             |
| SOLAPUR                  | 1.1                         | 16.6             | 0.3                         | 15.93            |
| THANE                    | 0.9                         | 15.2             | 0.2                         | 17.67            |
| WARDHA                   | 0.2                         | 9.3              | 0.4                         | 12.99            |
| WASHIM                   | 0.8                         | 10.7             | 0.3                         | 11.57            |
| YAVATMAL                 | 1.7                         | 17.5             | 1.2                         | 19.13            |

Source UDISE+ 2018-19 & 2019-20 (-) Negative Dropout Not Reported