Dropout rate of girls at primary level is steadily decreasing

New Delhi: Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) are residential schools at upper primary level for girls belonging to disadvantaged groups such as SC, ST, OBC, Minority and BPL. It aims to reduce gender gap at elementary education and is operational in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs). In KGBVs, 75% girls from SC, ST, OBC or Minority Communities would be accorded priority for enrollment and only thereafter, 25% girls from families of Below Poverty Line would be enrolled.

Presently, 3703 KGBVs have been sanctioned in the country out of which 3603 are operational with an enrolment of 3.67 lakh girls out of which 29.81% are from SC category, 24.87% are from ST category, 31.41% are from OBC category while 7.74% are Muslims and 6.18% are from BPL category. .

per the announcement in Budget 2018-19, school education is to be viewed holistically starting from pre-primary to 12th standard. Accordingly, a proposal regarding extension of KGBVs up to Senior Secondary level in convergence with Girls Hostel component in a phased manner, has been prepared by this Department.

Dropout percentage of KGBV students is not captured at national level. However, the dropout rate of girls at primary level has been steadily decreasing in the last three years. The details of annual average dropout rate of girls at primary level as per Unified District Information System for Education (U-DISE) are as under:

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

4.66

4.14

3.88

This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Shri Upendra Kushwaha today in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.

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