NEW DELHI, MAY 16: The Ministry of Education on Friday reviewed a comprehensive strategy for mainstreaming out-of-school children, particularly in the 14–18 age group, through coordinated efforts involving the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), State Governments and district administrations.
According to an official spokesperson of Union ministry of education, a high-level meeting was chaired by Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, Sanjay Kumar, and attended by Joint Secretary DoSEL Prachi Pandey, NIOS Chairperson Prof. Akhilesh Mishra, NIOS Secretary Col. Shakeel Ahmad, senior Ministry officials, representatives of State Governments, District Collectors and District Magistrates from identified pilot districts, besides officials from NIOS and State Education Departments.
Addressing the meeting, Sanjay Kumar described the issue of school dropouts as a matter of serious concern and said that according to available data, out of every 100 children entering Class I, only 62 reach Class XII. He further noted that over two crore children in the 14–18 age group are currently out of school, as per the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) estimates.
He observed that economic pressures, domestic responsibilities and livelihood-related challenges remain among the major reasons behind children dropping out of the education system. Stressing the need for urgent intervention, he said every child should have access to education up to secondary and senior secondary levels along with employable skills linked to local economic opportunities.
The Secretary said that while efforts should focus on reintegrating children into formal schooling, those unable to return should be connected with flexible learning pathways such as NIOS and State Open Schools through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) systems.
Highlighting the importance of grassroots implementation, Kumar emphasized the crucial role of District Collectors and district administrations in turning the initiative into a nationwide movement for educational inclusion.
Joint Secretary DoSEL Prachi Pandey said the issue of out-of-school children is being addressed in mission mode through a data-driven approach with emphasis on last-mile outreach. She stressed the need for convergence among departments at the State, district and local levels to ensure effective identification, enrolment and retention of children outside the education system.
She informed that preparatory activities such as enrolment of NIOS facilitators, distribution of starter kits, preliminary surveys and initial enrolment drives would be undertaken ahead of the formal launch of the initiative.
NIOS Chairperson Prof. Akhilesh Mishra described education as a source of hope, dignity and opportunity and said the major challenge lies in reaching children disconnected from the education system. He termed the initiative a people’s movement aimed at reconnecting children and youth with learning through inclusive and flexible educational pathways.
NIOS Secretary Col. Shakeel Ahmad delivered a detailed presentation on the operational framework of the initiative, covering identification and categorisation of out-of-school children, deployment of NIOS facilitators, app-based monitoring systems, incentive mechanisms, district-level convergence strategies and phased implementation plans.
The meeting was informed that pilot districts with high concentrations of out-of-school children have been identified across Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. In the first phase, the initiative will be implemented in 10 districts across the country.
It was further informed that Memoranda of Commitment (MoCs) would be signed with participating States to facilitate implementation, and based on the experience gained from pilot districts, the programme would later be expanded nationwide.
Representatives from participating States and district administrations assured full cooperation for successful implementation of the initiative and also shared suggestions for strengthening the framework and operational guidelines.
The meeting concluded with a collective commitment to ensure that no child remains outside the education system and that every child is provided opportunities for education, skill development and a dignified future. – (PIB)
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