**Executive Summary:**
The Ministry of Education addresses concerns regarding the higher dropout rate among tribal children compared to the national average. The response details various initiatives and schemes implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to reduce dropout rates, improve educational access, and provide financial assistance for tribal students. These initiatives include data collection improvements, financial aid for school construction, scholarships, and the establishment of residential schools.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Data Collection and Monitoring:**
* The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) has been revitalized to capture individual student data starting in 2022-23.
* Dropout rate of Schedule Tribe for India for the year 2023-24 is available at https:www.education.gov.inenparlques.
* **Integrated Scheme for School Education (Samagra Shiksha):**
* Financial assistance is provided to States and UTs for activities reducing dropout rates.
* Support includes opening/strengthening schools, constructing buildings, setting up Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas.
* Construction of 492 hostels have been sanctioned under PM-JANMAN with the allocation of Rs.123458.63 lakh for the FY 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26.
* Hostel construction under Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan for unsaturated ST population.
* Provisions for free uniforms, textbooks, transport allowance, and enrolment drives.
* **Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN):**
* Provides one hot cooked meal in Government and Government aided schools to elementary level students, including Balvatika.
* **Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) Scholarship Schemes:**
* Pre-Matric Scholarship (IX and X)
* Post Matric Scholarship (XI and above)
* National Fellowship for Higher Education
* National Scholarship for Higher Education
* Top Class National Overseas Scholarship
* **Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS):**
* Established to provide quality education to tribal children.
* Target to establish 728 EMRSs, benefiting around 3.5 lakh ST students.
* **Grant-in-Aid to Voluntary Organizations:**
* MoTA funds projects in education and health, including residential schools, hostels, and livelihood projects.
* **Out-of-School Children (OoSC) Initiatives:**
* Financial assistance of up to ₹2000 per annum for OoSC aged 16-19 through NIOS/SIOS.
* Special training, residential/non-residential training, seasonal hostels, and transport facilities.
* States/UTs directed to reduce OoSC numbers and participate in "Bringing Children Back to School" campaigns.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **State Governments and Union Territories:**
* *Impact:* Receive financial assistance and are responsible for implementing various schemes to reduce dropout rates and improve educational facilities for tribal children.
* *Action Required:* Implement Samagra Shiksha, PM POSHAN, and out-of-school children initiatives; participate in campaigns; and ensure preventive measures to retain children in school.
* **Schools (Government and Government-Aided):**
* *Impact:* Required to provide cooked meals under PM POSHAN and facilitate access to education for tribal children.
* *Action Required:* Implement PM POSHAN, support enrolment drives, and provide necessary facilities and resources for tribal students.
* **Tribal Students and Families:**
* *Impact:* Benefit from scholarships, improved school facilities, residential schools, and initiatives aimed at reducing dropout rates.
* *Action Required:* Utilize available scholarships and educational opportunities, and participate in school programs and initiatives.
* **Ministry of Tribal Affairs:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for implementing scholarship schemes, establishing EMRS schools, and funding projects through voluntary organizations.
* *Action Required:* Continue to provide scholarships and expand EMRS schools to achieve the target of 728 schools.
Key Entities Referenced
Scheduled Tribe: A group of indigenous populations recognized by the Government of India as historically disadvantaged. The policy document focuses on addressing the educational needs of children belonging to Scheduled Tribes.
National Education Policy 2020: A comprehensive framework to guide the development of education in the country. UDISE has been revitalized based on its recommendations.
Samagra Shiksha: An Integrated Centrally Sponsored Scheme for School Education. It provides financial assistance to States and UTs for reducing dropout rates.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas: A scheme to establish residential schools for girls from disadvantaged communities.
Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman: A scheme to provide one hot cooked meal in Government and Government aided schools.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs: The ministry implementing scholarship schemes to promote education amongst Scheduled Tribe population.
Eklavya Model Residential School: A scheme to provide quality education to tribal children. The government decided to establish 440 EMRSs across the country.
Unified District Information System for Education Plus: A system developed by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, to record data on indicators of school education.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1259
ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025
Dropout Rate of Tribal Children
1259. Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has noted that droupout rate among tribal children is still higher than the
national average;
(b) the details of the steps taken/being taken to reduce droupout in tribal dominated blocks and districts;
(c) whether the Government mapped areas with the highest dropout rates among Scheduled Tribe
students;
(d) whether the Government has launched any special scholarships or incentives for families to retain
tribal children in schools, if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the Government expand hostel facilities for tribal girls and boys in remote areas and if so,
the details thereof;
(f) whether the Government has taken any new initiatives to bring back out-of-school tribal children;
and
(g) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (g): The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education has
developed the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) system to record data
on indicators of school education provided by all the States and Union Territories. Dropout rate of
Schedule Tribe for India for the year 2023-24 is available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
Further, based on the recommendation of National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), w.e.f.,
2022-23 UDISE+ has been revitalized, to capture individual student wise data and created student’s
registry. There has been a complete change in the manner of collection of data from 2022-23 onwards
from gross enrolment data to individual student data. It makes comparison of data from previous years
statistically different/inchoate.
The Department of School Education and Literacy with effect from 2018-19 is implementing
an Integrated Centrally Sponsored Scheme for School Education- Samagra Shiksha. Under the scheme,
financial assistance is provided to States and UTs for undertaking various activities for reducing
dropout rate, including opening/strengthening of new schools upto senior secondary level, construction
of school buildings & additional classrooms, setting up, up-gradation and running of Kasturba Gandhi
Balika Vidyalayas, setting up of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas, Construction of
492 hostels have been sanctioned under PM-JANMAN with the allocation of Rs.123458.63 lakh for
the FY 2023-24 and 2024-25 and 2025-26, construction of hostels under Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram
Utkarsh Abhiyan for unsaturated ST population, free uniforms, free text books, transport allowanceand undertaking enrolment & retention drives. Under ‘Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman’ (PM
POSHAN) one hot cooked meal in Government and Government aided schools is provided to students
at the elementary level of education, including Balvatika, which encourages the children to attend
schools regularly and contributes towards reduction in dropout rate.
Further, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) is implementing the following Scholarship
Schemes to promote and encourage basic and higher education amongst ST population: -
• Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class IX and X)
• Post Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class XI and above)
• National Fellowship for Higher Education for ST students
• National Scholarship for Higher Education for ST students (Top Class)
• National Overseas Scholarship for ST students.
Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) was started in the year 2018-19 to provide quality
education at par with Navodaya Vidyalaya to the tribal children in their own environment. Under the
new scheme, Government decided to establish 440 EMRSs, one EMRS in every block having more
than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011). 288 EMRS schools
were initially funded under Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, which are being upgraded
as per the new model. Accordingly, MoTA has set the target to set up total of 728 EMRSs benefiting
around 3.5 lakh ST students across the country.
Under the scheme of Grant-in-Aid to Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of
Scheduled Tribes, MoTA funds projects in the fields of education and health, covering residential
schools, non-residential schools, hostels, mobile dispensaries, ten or more bedded hospitals, livelihood,
etc.
Under Samagra Shiksha Financial assistance upto ₹ 2000 per annum is being provided for Out
of School Children of age group of 16-19 years, belonging to socio-economically disadvantaged
groups, for completing their education through NIOS/SIOS, for accessing course materials and
certification. Further, special training for age-appropriate admission of out of school children and
residential as well as non- residential training for older children, seasonal hostels / residential camps,
special training centres at worksites, transport/ escort facility are also supported to bring out of school
children to the formal schooling system.
In national workshops and directives etc., all States/UTs have been directed to reduce the
number of Out of School Children (OoSC). States/UTs have also been requested to participate in
“Bringing Children Back to School” campaign with the full and active engagement of School
Management Committees and community involvement through Panchayati Raj Institutions. Further,
States and UTs have been requested for providing their active support and personal attention to ensure
that preventive measures and actions are adopted to retain the children in school.
******