With a dropout rate of 22.09%, Karnataka is among the worst performing states in secondary level schools in south India, reveals the data released by the Union Ministry of Education. As per the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) Plus 2023-24, Karnataka is only marginally better off than Bihar (25.63%) and Assam (25.07%) in dropout rates in classes 9 and 10. The national average is 14.1%.
Karnataka's dropout rate is especially high in comparison with its neighbours: Kerala has 3.41%, Tamil Nadu 7.68%, Telangana 11.43%, and Andhra Pradesh 12.48%. The percentage of students dropping out in primary (1.9%) and upper primary (5.2%) classes in Karnataka are much lesser in comparison to the secondary level, an apparent impact of the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
According to UDISE, there hasn't been a proportionate increase in the schools at secondary and high secondary levels compared to the number of primary schools established following the implementation of RTE. “This poses the risk of large-scale dropout of students at the higher classes," it said.
While all states performed well in the primary level, Bihar (25.9%) is the only state with a very high dropout rate in the upper primary category. However, in the secondary level, Meghalaya (22.06%), Gujarat (21.02%), Ladakh (19.84%), Arunachal Pradesh (19.29%), Sikkim (19.05%), West Bengal (17.85%), Madhya Pradesh (17.69%), Chattisgarh (16.29%), Manipur (15.30%), and Jharkhand (15.16%) showed high dropout rates. Chandigarh (2.89%), Kerala (3.41%), and Himachal Pradesh (4.91%) are the best performers in this category.
The UDISE stated that the figures are accurate as the dropout rate was calculated this year based on actual movement of students from one level to the next using individual student-wise data.
Compared to 2018-19, the total enrolment of students in schools across the country fell by over 1 crore in 2023-24. As per the newly released data, a total of 24.8 crore students enrolled in schools this academic year, while it was 26.02 crore in 2018-19. In 2022-23, the total enrollment was 25.18 crore.
Infrastructure development
Karnataka, along with states like Assam, Jharkhand, and Odisha recorded a significantly low student-per-school ratio, indicating need for optimisation of school infrastructure.
While schools across the country gave emphasis to basic infrastructure facilities like drinking water and sanitation – over 98% schools have drinking water and toilet facilities – the data shows that they lag in digital infrastructure. While 91.8% of schools have electricity, only 57.2% have computers and only 53.9% have internet facilities. Accessibility is also highly inadequate, with only 34.4% of schools having toilets for children with special needs. Only 52.3% of schools have ramps with handrails.
Aadhaar data of 19 crore students collected
This year (2023-24), the UDISE covered data in more than 60 fields, including infrastructure and social status. It also collected the Aadhaar details of students on a “voluntary basis” and more than 19.7 crore students provided their Aadhaar number.
"Andaman & Nicobar Islands have seeded Aadhaar number in respect of 99% of students, which is the highest level among all states and Union Territories, followed by Lakshadweep (98.9%), Andhra Pradesh (98.1%), Maharashtra (97.7%), and Puducherry (97.6%). States with lowest Aadhaar seeding data are Meghalaya (24.18%), Bihar (38.8%), and Manipur (51.8%), with a national average of 79.4%,” it said.