Following guidelines of the Union Ministry of Education in line with the new education policy, the state education department has decided to launch a survey to collect data connected with school dropouts in Jharkhand.

The dropout survey is slated to start on January 22. All teachers of the government-run schools were directed to go door to door in their areas of jurisdiction and collect data linked with students who had dropped studying after completing primary-secondary classes.

The dropout survey is being implemented by Jharkhand Education Project Council(JEPC). Its Director Kiran Pasi has issued a directive to district education officers and superintendents. The survey is to be carried out by going from door to door to collect data on dropout students of 3-18 years of age.

The aim was to prepare a register of dropout students in Jharkhand carrying details connected with their name, address, location and socio-economic background of their parents.

As per Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2019-20 the state-wise enrolment of students in Government and Private schools was registered.

The objective was to prevent dropouts, lower enrolments and loss of learning. Toward this end, the Union Ministry of Education had issued guidelines for the identification, smooth admission process and continued education of migrant children on 13th July, 2020, inter-alia, requesting the States to identify and enroll all such children without any procedural formalities and maintain a database of children so admitted. 

Further, to ensure that children have access to education with quality and equity and to minimize the impact of the pandemic on school education in the country, the Ministry of Education had shared guidelines dated 7th January, 2021 with all States which, among others, included identification of out of school children from age 6-18 years, enrolment drives and awareness generation, student support while schools were closed, continued Education for children with Special Needs (CWSN), student support on school reopening and Teacher capacity building.

Those states where this survey was conducted, dropout rates were computed for taking care of inter-school movements of the students. The state-wise dropout rate for boys and girls at Primary, Upper Primary and Secondary levels for 2019-20.

Notably, since the state education department had not done this, the initiative was taken and a comprehensive plan was chalked out to complete the task of a survey on school dropout students.

As per the JEPC’s guidelines, Principal of the school where there was not one student figured in the list of drop out was authorised to display a banner reading “ zero drop out ‘at the entry point of his school.

The survey resister provided by the school is planned to be checked and verified by the Block Education officer, Block Project officer who have been directed to inspect five schools each in their areas of jurisdiction.

Apart from teachers, staff of the government-run schools were directed to carry the works related with survey of drop out students. In the guideline of the JEPC Director, it is noted that any surveyor who did not abide by the guidelines and commits mistakes leaving errors in their data collection format, will face action.

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