Improvement in School Dropout Rates at the National Level

Source: This post on The Race for Fighters has been created based on The race for fighters: the IAF’s dilemma published in The Hindu on 2^ND January 2025.  

UPSC Syllabus topic: GS-2- Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context: The article highlights the evolving trends in school dropout rates across various states in India between 2019 and 2024. While the overall data indicates a positive improvement in the percentage of students continuing their education without dropping out, there are concerning disparities at the state level. The analysis focuses on upper primary and secondary education and reveals stark contrasts in educational outcomes across different regions and genders. Improvement in School Dropout Rates at the National Level

How has the overall school dropout rate in India changed from 2019 to 2024?

1. There has been a marked improvement. In 2024, over 80 out of every 100 girls completed secondary education without dropping out, compared to 73.5 in 2019.
2. Among boys, 77.2 completed secondary education in 2024 compared to 72.4 in 2019.

Which states have seen an increase in dropout rates between 2019 and 2024?

1. Bihar, Assam, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Haryana have experienced an increase in dropout rates.
   In Bihar, the number of girls completing secondary education fell from 51.6 in 2019 to 40.3 in 2024. Among boys, it declined from 51.2 to 38.8.
2. In Karnataka, the number of girls completing secondary education declined from 79.3 in 2019 to 76.5 in 2024. For boys, it dropped from 73.6 to 70.7.

Which states have shown remarkable improvement in dropout rates?

1. Kerala and Tamil Nadu have shown significant improvements.
2. In Kerala, 99.6 out of 100 boys completed upper primary in 2019, which improved to 100 in 2024. Among girls, the number remained at 100 in both years.
3. For secondary schooling, boys’ completion rate rose from 88.3 in 2019 to 95.7 in 2024, and girls’ rate improved from 93.2 to 97.5.
4. In Tamil Nadu, the upper primary completion rate for boys increased from 99 in 2019 to 100 in 2024.
5. Among girls, it improved from 97.5 to 100. For secondary education, boys’ completion rate increased from 81.3 to 89.2, while girls’ rate rose from 89.4 to 95.6.

How do states compare in the degree of improvement in dropout rates?

1. States like Uttarakhand and Maharashtra showed improvement, but Uttarakhand’s rise was steeper.
2. For instance, Uttarakhand’s girls’ secondary completion rate rose from 83.5 in 2019 to 92.8 in 2024, improving its rank from 11th to 4th. Maharashtra’s corresponding figure improved from 83.5 to 90.5, moving its rank from 12th to 7th.

Which states have seen their rankings drop significantly?

1. Haryana, which was in the top 10 across all school levels and genders in 2019, dropped out of the top 10 in 2024.
2. Gujarat remained stagnant at the bottom of the rankings in both years.