Education Ministry launches national drive to bring out-of-school children back to classrooms

The Ministry of Education has launched a coordinated national effort to bring out-of-school children back into the education system, with senior officials warning that millions of adolescents across India remain disconnected from formal schooling.

A high-level meeting chaired by Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), was held on May 16 with participation from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), state governments, and district administrations to discuss strategies for improving school retention and re-enrollment.

During the meeting, Kumar highlighted the scale of the challenge, stating that only 62 out of every 100 children enrolled in Class 1 eventually reach Class 12.

Referring to recent Periodic Labour Force Survey data, he said more than two crore children in the 14 to 18 age group are currently outside the school system.

Officials said economic hardship, domestic responsibilities, and pressure to contribute to household income remain among the primary reasons children discontinue their education before completing secondary school.

Kumar stressed that the objective should not be limited to increasing enrollment numbers. He said children should have access to education up to the senior secondary level along with practical and employable skills linked to local economic opportunities.

The Education Ministry also emphasized the importance of alternative learning systems for students unable to return to conventional schools.

Officials said flexible learning models through NIOS and State Open Schools would be expanded using Open and Distance Learning mechanisms to improve accessibility.

Joint Secretary Prachi Pandey said the government is approaching the issue in “mission mode” with a data-driven strategy focused on reaching underserved communities.

NIOS Chairperson Akhilesh Mishra described the initiative as a broader movement for educational inclusion aimed at reconnecting children and adolescents with learning opportunities suited to their circumstances.

Meanwhile, NIOS Secretary Shakeel Ahmad outlined the implementation framework, which includes identification of out-of-school children, deployment of trained facilitators, app-based monitoring systems, and phased execution across selected regions.

In the initial phase, the program will be introduced in 10 districts across Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi, where officials have identified a high number of out-of-school children.

The meeting concluded with participating states and district administrations assuring full cooperation in efforts to ensure wider access to education for children currently outside the formal school network.