Lok Sabha Question No. 188 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-04
Subject: Dropout of Students in Central Universities, IITs, IIMs and NLUs
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Ritesh Pandey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.188

ANSWERED ON 04/12/2023

## DROPOUT OF STUDENTS IN CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES, IITs, IIMs AND NLUs

## 188. SHRI RITESH PANDEY:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken any assessment to estimate the total number of students who have dropped out of Central Universities, IITs, IIMs and NLUs during the last five years and if so, the details thereof, University/Institution/State/UT- wise;
- (b) the proportion of Other Backward Class, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe student dropouts in these Higher Education Institutes in the last five years;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any study to understand the causes behind high dropout rates amongst OBC, SC, and ST students in these Higher Education Institutions; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## (DR. SUBHAS SARKAR)

- (a) to (d) : In the Higher Education sector students have multiple options and they choose to migrate across  institutions  and  from  one  course/programme  to  another  in  the  same  institution.  The migration/withdrawal if any, is mainly on account of securing seat by the students in other departments / institutions of their choice or on any personal ground. The number of drop out students during the last five years in Central Universities (CUs), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and  Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in various courses are as under:

| S.No.   | Institutes                             | No. of Students Drop out   | No. of Students Drop out   | No. of Students Drop out   |
|---------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
|         |                                        | OBC                        | SC                         | ST                         |
| 1       | Central Universities (CUs)             | 4596                       | 2424                       | 2622                       |
| 2       | Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) | 2066                       | 1068                       | 408                        |
| 3       | Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) | 163                        | 188                        | 91                         |

NLUs have been established under the Acts enacted by the respective State Legislatures and as such they are the State Universities.  No such data on dropout students of NLUs is maintained by the Central Government.

The  Government  has  taken  various  steps  like  fee  reduction,  establishment  of  more  institutes, scholarship, priority access to national level scholarships to aid the students with poor financial backgrounds to pursue their education. For the welfare of SC/ST students the schemes like 'waiver of tuition fees in IITs', grant of national scholarships under Central Sector Scheme, scholarships in Institutes etc. are also there.

In order to proactively address any issues of SC/ST students, Institutes have set up mechanisms such as  SC/ST  students'  cells,  Equal  Opportunity  Cell,  Student  Grievance  Cell,  Student  Grievance Committee,  Students  Social  Club,  Liaison  officers,  Liaison  Committee  etc.  Further,  University Grants  Commission (UGC) has issued instructions from time to time for promoting equity and fraternity amongst students.

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