Srinagar, Jan 24 (KNO): With a dropout rate of more than 13 percent at secondary school level, Jammu and Kashmir is grappling with worst ‘abandonment’ student rate in north India
The recent official figures further reveal that the dropout rate at secondary level in Ladakh was 19.84 which is highest in states across the northern region of India.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), “The dropout rate at Secondary level in Jammu and Kashmir is 13.42 while the Ladakh territory was staggering at 19.84 percent.”
The official figures also said that the dropout rate at Primary Level in Jammu and Kashmir was 1.6 percent and 4.3 percent in Ladakh.
It also reveals that the dropout rate at Upper Primary level in Jammu and Kashmir was 3.2 percent and the Ladakh territory was facing a dropout rate of 5.8 percent.
Earlier this month, KNO reported that 12 percent learners at senior secondary level quit studies midway.
The official figures had revealed that “The retention rate at Primary level in Jammu and Kashmir was 82.70 and 88.42 at senior secondary level.”
The official documents however state that, “About 46,000 Out of School Children (OoSC) have been mainstreamed.”
The document has further stated that a notable shift of thousands of students from private to government schools has been recorded.
“There has been impressive enrolment of 217,890 students in 2022-23, marking a 17.87 percent increase in total enrolment,” it reads.
It also said that the department introduced vocational education in 804 schools, and expanded to 1,067 schools in 2023-24—thus benefiting 1.25 lakh students—(KNO)