VIJAYAWADA: The Intermediate Board is facing a tough challenge in controlling student dropout in government junior colleges in the State. Though the Board has introduced the midday meal scheme in government junior colleges from this year, it seems that it has little effect on controlling student drop out rate.
In the 2017-18 academic year, the dropout rate of Intermediate students in the State was over 35 per cent and it is 30 per cent so far in the current academic year (2018-19). Though the admission rate in government junior colleges is increasing over the years, the dropout rate is also increasing, giving a headache to the Board officials. Over 1.6 lakh students have taken admission in 454 government junior colleges for the 2018-19 academic year, compared to 1.2 lakh admissions in 2017-18.
Interestingly, the officials don’t have any clear idea on the issue. They claim that the dropout students might have opted for private colleges or other courses such as ITI and polytechnic. The officials introduced midday meals for all students studying in government junior colleges from August this year. However, it hasn’t brought any significant change.
Commissioner of Board of Intermediate Education B Udaya Lakshmi claimed that the dropout rate has indeed come down in the colleges of rural areas after introducing midday meal scheme. “The introduction of midday meal is a boon to such students. The dropout rate in rural areas have come down, but it is negligible in urban areas,” she said.
Number crunching
35% dropout rate of Inter students 2017-18
30% dropout rate (so far) of Inter students 2018-19
1.6 lakh: Number of students taken admission in 454 government junior colleges in 2018-19
1.2 lakh: Number of students taken admission in 454 government junior colleges in 2017-18