Lok Sabha Question No. 196 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-22
Subject: Children apart  from Education
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Dharmendra Yadav

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No - 196

## ANSWERED ON - 22/07/2024

## CHILDREN APART FROM EDUCATION

## † 196. SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the students from lower castes particularly the dalits are continually ostracized from education system;
- (b) if so, the details and the number of such cases taken into cognizance by the Government, State-wise especially in Uttar Pradesh;
- (c) the reasons for low literacy rate and low enrollment rate of dalits in the field of Primary Education;
- (d) whether the Government has conducted any study in this regard; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

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

(a) to (e): Government of India in partnership with the States and UT Governments have taken a range of initiatives to ensure that all children are enrolled in schools and complete their school education. Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education is implementing the scheme of Samagra Shiksha, effective from 2018-19, for universalization of quality  education  throughout  the  country  in  coordination  with  the  States  and  UTs.  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 supports States and Union Territories in implementation of the RTE Act, 2009.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 provides every child of the age of 6-14 years, the right to free and compulsory education in a neighborhood school till the completion of his or her elementary education. Section 8(c) of the RTE Act, 2009 provides that the appropriate government would ensure that the child belonging to weaker section and the child  belonging  to  disadvantaged  group  are  not  discriminated  against  and  prevented  from pursuing and completing elementary education on any grounds.

As per the data available on Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) / UDISE+, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of Scheduled Castes Students for 2019-20 to 2021-22 shows an increase in the enrolment of Scheduled Castes Students at all levels of school education. A comparable overview between GER of overall students and Scheduled Castes students are given below:-

| Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)              | Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)   | Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)   | Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)   | Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)   |
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| Category                                 | Level                         | 2019-20                       | 2020-21                       | 2021-22                       |
| Overall (All Social categories Students) | Primary                       | 102.70                        | 103.3                         | 103.39                        |
|                                          | Upper-Primary                 | 89.70                         | 92.2                          | 94.67                         |
|                                          | Secondary                     | 77.90                         | 79.8                          | 79.56                         |
|                                          | Higher Secondary              | 51.40                         | 53.8                          | 57.56                         |
| Scheduled Caste                          | Primary                       | 113.1                         | 113.7                         | 113.1                         |
|                                          | Upper-Primary                 | 97.1                          | 100                           | 103.79                        |
|                                          | Secondary                     | 83.0                          | 84.8                          | 84.91                         |
|                                          | Higher Secondary              | 52.9                          | 56.1                          | 61.49                         |

There is a provision of financial assistance for the out of school children in the age group of 16-19 years, inter-alia belonging to SC & ST, to continue education through Open/Distance Learning mode. Recurring grant upto Rs. 2000/- per child per grade per annum is provided to such children  for  completing  their  secondary/senior  secondary  education  through  the  Open  School System (NIOS/SIOS).

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