Lok Sabha Question No. 29 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-02
Subject: School Dropout Rates in Desert and Border Districts
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO- 29

ANSWERED ON -02/02/2026

## SCHOOL DROPOUT RATES IN DESERT AND BORDER DISTRICTS

- *29. Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has analysed school dropout rates in desert areas and border districts of Rajasthan; (b) if so, the data for Barmer and Jaisalmer districts in Rajasthan, district-wise during the last five years; (c) the major factors contributing to dropouts; and (d) the details of steps taken by the Government under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to address the

- issue?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) to (d):   A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED TO  IN  REPLY TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 29 ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026 ASKED BY SHRI UMMEDA RAM BENIWAL, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING "SCHOOL DROPOUT RATES IN DESERT AND BORDER DISTRICTS"

(a) to (c): Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are under  the  domain  of  respective  State  and  UT  Government.  Government  of  Rajasthan  has analysed school dropout rates in desert and border district of Rajasthan under the Praveshotsav Karyakram.  Major factors contributing to children being out of school include poverty, poor health and engagement in domestic work.

The details of dropout rate by level of education in the district of Barmer and Jaisalmer is as per below table:

| Year    | Barmer   | Barmer        | Barmer    | Jaisalmer   | Jaisalmer     | Jaisalmer   |
|---------|----------|---------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|-------------|
| Year    | Primary  | Upper Primary | Secondary | Primary     | Upper Primary | Secondary   |
| 2020-21 | 1.3      | 4.6           | 9.8       | 4.3         | 5.3           | 8.7         |
| 2021-22 | 1.9      | 5.3           | 11.7      | 4.5         | 7.5           | 12.5        |
| 2022-23 | 2.5      | 8.1           | 16.7      | 5.1         | 10.5          | 21.5        |
| 2023-24 | 4.7      | 7.7           | 12.9      | 10.9        | 15.2          | 20.7        |
| 2024-25 | 3.4      | 6.4           | 9.7       | 5.9         | 8.8           | 13.3        |

- (d) The Department of School Education and Literacy is implementing Samagra Shiksha, an integrated scheme for school education since 2018-19 covering the entire gamut from pre-school to class XII. The scheme has also 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.

One of the focus areas of the scheme is to reduce the dropout rate and the number of Out of School Children (OoSC). This Department has 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 . 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.

The scheme includes the provision of opening and strengthening of new schools up to senior secondary  level;  construction  of  school  buildings  and  additional  classrooms;  setting  up,  upgradation  and  running  of  Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalayas;  setting  up  of  Netaji  Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas; Hostels under PM-JANMAN and DAJGUA for PVTGs / ST children,  free  uniforms,  free  text  books,  transport  allowance  and  undertaking  enrolment  & retention drives.  In addition, support is provided through special training for age-appropriate admission of Out of School Children and for the training of residential as well as non-residential older children.  The provision of seasonal hostels or residential camps, special training centers at worksites, transport/ escort facility are also available for bringing Out of School Children to the formal schooling structure. Bridge Course Modules have been developed by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for bridging the learning gaps of Out of School Children studying in Special Training Centers (STC) under the provision of RTE Act, 2009.

Further, under the student-oriented component for the children with special needs of the scheme, financial  assistance  is  provided  for  identification  and  assessment  of  children  with special needs, aids and appliances, braille kits and books, appropriate teaching learning material and stipend to girl students with disability etc.

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