Centre plans drive to bring over 2 crore dropout children back to school; pilot districts identified

The Union education ministry has initiated discussions with states and education agencies to address the growing number of out-of-school children across India. As per a report by The Indian Express, a high-level meeting chaired by Sanjay Kumar, secretary, department of school education and literacy (DoSEL), brought together officials from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), state governments and district administrations to prepare a coordinated strategy for bringing children back into the education system.

During the meeting, officials reviewed national-level school retention data and discussed concerns around dropout rates, especially among adolescents. As reported by IE, Kumar said that while 100 children may enter Class 1, only around 62 continue till Class 12.

He also cited Periodic Labour Force Survey(PLFS) data indicating that more than two crore children aged between 14 and 18 are currently outside formal schooling.

The discussions reportedly focused on the economic and social factors contributing to school dropouts, including poverty, domestic responsibilities and pressure to join the workforce early. Kumar stressed the need for flexible education pathways, especially for students unable to return to conventional schools.

NIOS Plan: Pilot districts identified

As per IE report, the ministry is planning to use the NIOS and state open schooling systems to provide alternative learning opportunities through open and distance learning models.

The proposed approach includes both academic education and skill-based learning linked to local employment opportunities.

Joint secretary Prachi Pandey reportedly said the initiative would be implemented in “mission mode”, while NIOS officials discussed plans involving identification of out-of-school children, training of facilitators and app-based monitoring systems. NIOS secretary Shakeel Ahmad outlined a phased implementation model for the programme.

The first phase of the initiative is expected to be launched in 10 districts across states with high numbers of out-of-school children, including Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, the report added. Officials and state representatives at the meeting reportedly agreed to coordinate efforts aimed at improving school participation and reducing dropout rates.