Out-of-School Children in India

What is the issue?

The official numbers of out-of-school children in India are contradictory in different reports.
A recent data in this regard highlights the variations in out-of-school children proportion as well as the reasons behind.

What is the contradiction?

The 2011 Census reported the number of out-of-school children in the 5-17 age group as 8.4 crore.
This stands in contrast to a survey commissioned in 2014 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
As per this, the number of out-of-school children in the 6-13 age group was only 60.64 lakh.
This is a gross underestimation as it is unlikely that the number drastically came down from 2011 to 2014.
Notably, there were no significant changes in objective conditions so as to bring such a reduction.

What is the recent estimate?

The number of out-of-school children in India was recently calculated afresh.
This was on the basis of the 71st round of the National Sample Survey (NSS) carried out in 2014.
Children of the 6-18 age group were taken into account.
It was found that out-of-school children in this age group were more than 4.5 crore in the country.

This is around 16% of the children in this age group.
States - In some of the big States, about one-fifth of the children in this age group were out of school.
These include Odisha (20.6%), UP (21.4%), Gujarat (19.1%), Bihar (18.6%), etc as also MP, Rajasthan and WB.
In Kerala, Goa, Sikkim, HP and TN, the proportion was lower than the national average.
Region - Out-of-school children proportion was around 17% in rural India as against 13% in urban India.
In rural areas, the proportion of out-of-school girls (18.3%) was higher than of boys (16.3%).
Groups - The proportion of children from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) was the highest.
This was followed by Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Among religious groups, the proportion of Muslims was as high as 24.1% in rural areas and 24.7% in urban areas.
In all, the data show that out-of-school children came mostly from the rural areas.
Also, a high proportion of them are SCs, STs, Muslims and from other economically backward communities.
These children were mostly from low-income, landless and marginal families.
Most of these children's parents were uneducated and mostly casual labourers.

What is the Telangana Report's finding?

The Telangana Social Development Report, 2018 brought out key patterns in this regard.
The prejudice against educating girls that is prevalent in India is a major reason for children being out of school.
According to the report, a proportionately larger percentage of girls than boys was not enrolled.
In the rural areas, the gender gap on this count was as high as 13 percentage points.
A relatively lower percentage of girls was found going to high fee-charging private schools.
Similarly, a relatively lower percentage of girls took private coaching, involving additional costs.
A much higher proportion of girls than boys dropped out of school after Class 10.
Notably, after this, education is not necessarily free.
In Telangana, the average expenditure on the education of girls was less than that for boys.

What are the driving factors?

Work - A key reason for boys to drop out of school was to take up jobs to supplement the family earning.
For girls, it was the compulsion to participate in household work.
Under RTE and Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Acts, these children fall under 'child labour' category.
Ultimately, the largest number of child labourers in the world is in India.
Policies - The shortfalls in implementing all the provisions of the RTE Act within the time limit is a key reason.
E.g. the Act provided for the availability of a school

If implemented, a major reason for drop-out (distance of school) would have been eliminated.

What does it call for?

A large number of children being out of school is a matter of serious concern to the country.
This is particularly even after the RTE Act being in place, and elevating RTE as a fundamental right.
Implementation of provisions of the RTE Act in its true spirit is the need of the hour.
Besides, an important reason for drop-out is the socio-economic conditions of the parents.
There are clear evidences of a positive correlation between economic incentives and a lower drop-out.
This calls for a more comprehensive approach that is not reflected in the RTE Act.
An important provision which ought to have been in the RTE Act is financial support to poor parents.
Awareness generation on the importance of school education and on the fact that education is now a legal right is essential.
Ironically, education is both the means and the end for this.

Source: The Hindu