Lok Sabha Question No. 1073 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-29
Subject: Dropout of School Children aged 6 to 14 Years
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Rajesh Ranjan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 1073

ANSWERED ON 29 th  JULY, 2024

## Dropout of School Children aged 6 to 14 Years

1073.  Shri Rajesh Ranjan:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  total  number  of  children  aged  6  to  14  years  dropped  out  from  schools  in  the State of Bihar;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to ensure elementary education for all children aged 6 to 14 years under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA);
- (c) the quantum of funds allocated for SSA during the last three years;
- (d) the quantum of SSA funds utilized for activities not connected with SSA;
- (e)  whether  the  National  Programme  of  Nutritional  Support  to  Primary  Education  has been implemented in the State of Bihar along with the objectives of the programme and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) whether the Government has evaluated the success of the programme in meeting its objectives; and
- (g) the action taken by the Government for success of the programme?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

- (a) : The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education has developed the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) to record  data  on  indicators  of  school  education  provided  by  all  the  States  and  Union Territories.  The  Percentage  of  dropped  out  children  aged  6-14  years  identified  under Samagra Shiksha in Bihar State is given below:

|       | Annual Average Dropout Rate - 2021-22 (in Percentage)   | Annual Average Dropout Rate - 2021-22 (in Percentage)   |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
|       | Primary                                                 | Upper Primary                                           |
| BIHAR | 0                                                       | 4.62                                                    |

Source: UDISE+ 2021-22

(b):  The erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was under  implementation  since  2000-2001  for  universalization  of  elementary  education throughout the country. Now, SSA along-with other two centrally sponsored schemes of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE) have been subsumed under a new Integrated Scheme for School Education - Samagra Shiksha, launched in the country from 2018-2019. It is an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class  XII  and aims  to  ensure  inclusive and  equitable  quality  education  at  all  levels  of  school  education.  Samagra  Shiksha scheme has now been aligned with the recommendations of NEP 2020 to ensure that all children have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment  which  should  take  care  of  their  diverse  background,  multilingual  needs, different academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process.

The  Government  has  undertaken  several  measures  to  ensure  elementary education for all  children  aged  6  to 14  years  under  Samagra  Shiksha. These include establishment  of  new  schools  and  additional  classrooms,  strengthening  of  school infrastructure  and  facilities;  provision  of  one  hot  cooked  meal  in  Government  and Government  aided  schools  to  children  at  elementary  level  under  PM  POSHAN,  a Centrally Sponsored Scheme; provision of free textbooks and uniforms etc.

(c)  &  (d):  The  Central  share  of  Funds  allocated  and  its  Utilization  for  Elementary Education (EE)for the state of Bihar under Samagra Shiksha during the last three years is given below:

| Year    |   Central Share allocated under EE (Rs. In Crores) |   Expenditure (EE)(Rs. In Crores) |
|---------|----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| 2021-22 |                                            3638.81 |                           5193.35 |
| 2022-23 |                                            4430.95 |                           5966.48 |
| 2023-24 |                                            4478.06 |                           6897.78 |

Source: PRABANDH

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha has an inbuilt concurrent evaluation and  monitoring system. The  Samagra  Shiksha  Manual  on  Financial Management and Procurement contains detailed procedures on fund flow arrangements, accounting, financial reporting, internal control and audit, external audit, procurement procedures, etc. Annual Reports of the State Implementing Societies for implementation  of  the  scheme  at  State  /  UT  level  are  also  laid  on  the  Table  of  the Parliament every year. Appropriate corrective action is taken by the State Governments whenever instances of irregularities, if any, come to light in the execution of the scheme.

(e) to (g) : Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme is one of the foremost rights based Centrally Sponsored Schemes implemented in partnership with States and UTs providing one hot cooked and nutritious meal to the eligible children. This Scheme is implemented across the country including Bihar and covers 11.56 crore children  of  Balvatika  and  Classes  I-VIII  studying  in  10.63  lakh  Government  and Government-Aided  Schools.  The  objectives  of  PM  POSHAN  Scheme  are  to  address two of the pressing problems for majority of children in India, viz. hunger and education by:

- I. Improving the nutritional status of children studying in BalVatika and classes IVIII in Government and Government-Aided Schools.
- II. Encouraging  poor  children,  belonging  to  disadvantaged  sections,  to  attend school more regularly and help them concentrate on classroom activities.
- III. Providing  nutritional  support  to  children  of  elementary  stage  in  drought  and disaster affected areas during summer vacation and disaster times.

In  addition  to  providing  one  hot  cooked  meal  under  the  Scheme,  the  following interventions are also being made to improve the nutrition standards of eligible children:

- Tithi Bhojan: The concept of Tithi Bhojan is being encouraged extensively. Tithi Bhojan is a community participation programme in which people provide special food to children on special occasions/festivals in addition to regular meals.
- Supplementary  Nutrition:  Appropriate  provision  is  being  made  under  flexibility component for  supplementary  nutrition  in  districts  with  identified  high  cases  of malnutrition etc.
- Some States and UTs provide additional items such as milk, egg, fruits etc. to students from their own resources.

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