NEW DELHI: The department of school education and literacy, under the education department, is set to launch a nationwide drive to identify and enrol out-of-school and dropout children as it gears up to achieve a target of 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2030. The focus would be to get the children on board via the Open Schooling system.
An official release from the education department said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has set a target of achieving 100% GER from pre-school to secondary level by 2030. However, according to the annual report of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24, nearly 2 crore children aged 14-18 years are not attending school, while around 11% of children in Grades 3-8 remain out-of-school. Over 50 lakh students fail board examinations each year.”
To track students and ensure they are enrolled in school, the Ministry intends to initiate a drive to contact out-of-school or dropout children. “Officials from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) will be engaging with States and Union Territories to strengthen institutional collaboration and advance the cause of dropout children through a reliable and credible open schooling framework across the country,” the release said. NIOS is an autonomous body under the Ministry and the largest open school board in the world.
The data drawn from district-level surveys of respective state / UT governments will assist NIOS in identifying and contacting out-of-school or dropout children for upcoming enrolment drives.
Key interventions planned include designating PM SHRI schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas, as well as government senior secondary schools as NIOS Study and Examination Centres; encouraging state open school boards to use government schools and recognised examination centres for NIOS exams and ensuring that government senior secondary schools in every panchayat and municipality become NIOS Study and Examination Centres.
The `NIOS Mitra’ programme is a structured and technology-enabled outreach initiative designed to mobilise communities and facilitate enrolment. Trained facilitators will identify and counsel out-of-school children, support their enrolment, and provide academic guidance with special focus offered to marginalised, tribal, migrant, minority and economically disadvantaged groups.
With more than 10,800 study and examination centres across States and Union Territories (UTs), NIOS provides a scalable platform capable of mainstreaming large numbers of learners who require flexibility due to social, economic or personal circumstances. The Ministry plans to establish at least one NIOS Study and Examination Centre in every block in co-ordination with the State or UT.
“Open schooling offers a practical alternative for children unable to attend regular schools due to economic, social, or geographical constraints,” the release added.
The system offers flexible admissions, multiple opportunities to clear examinations, an on-demand examination system, vocational and skill-based courses aligned with employability, inclusive provisions for Divyang learners, and certification that is recognised on par with other national and state boards.