Lok Sabha Question No. 2266 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-02
Subject: Students Deprived of School Education
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Ashok Kumar Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2266 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2021

## Students Deprived of School Education

†2266. SHRI ASHOK KUMAR RAWAT:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  students  deprived  of  school  education  especially  from  the  poor  and middle class in the country during the last three years, State-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has taken any steps so that students are not deprived of school education; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a) to (c):  As per the 75th round household survey by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in 2017-18, the number of out of school children in the age group of 6 to 17 years is 3.22 crore. The Government of India launched Samagra Shiksha-an Integrated Scheme  for  school  education,  w.e.f  2018-19,  as  an  overarching  programme  for  the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII, which aims to ensure inclusive  and  equitable  quality  education  at  all  levels  of  school  education,  across  the country.  The  scheme  provides  support  to  States  and  UTs  for  strengthening  of infrastructure  in  schools,  universal  access,  bringing  gender  equality,  support  for  aids and appliances to Children with Special Needs, quality of education, financial support for teachers' salary, digital initiatives, entitlements under the Right of Children to Free and  Compulsory  Education  (RTE)  Act,  2009  including  uniforms  and  textbooks,  preschool education, vocational education, sports and physical education, setting up and running  of  Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalays  and  residential  schools/hostels  named Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas.

Further, Under  Samagra  Shiksha,  for  the first time in 2021-22,  financial assistance upto Rs. 2000 per annum has been envisioned for supporting Out of School Children of age group of 16-19 years, belonging to socio economically disadvantaged groups,  for  completing  their  education  through  NIOS/SIOS,  for  accessing  course materials and certification. The  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education  (RTE)  Act,  2009, mandates  the  appropriate  Government  to  provide  free  and  compulsory  elementary education to every child of the age 6 to 14 years in a neighbourhood school. Section 12(1)(c)  of  RTE  Act,  2009  provides  for  admission  of  children  belonging  to  weaker sections and disadvantageous groups in the neighbourhood schools in Class I to the extent  of  at  least  25  percent  of  the  strength  of  that  class.  Also,  Mid-Day-Meal  is provided to students at the elementary level of education.

Also,  under  National  Means-cum-Merit  Scholarship  Scheme  scholarship  is awarded to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue the study at secondary stage.

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