MoE seeks ‘valid reason’ from SED over decline in enrollment

Srinagar, July 11: In a startling revelation, it has come to the fore that the student enrollment in J&K schools decreased from 27.18 lakh to 26.15 lakh in one academic session from 2021-22 to 2022-23.

The revelation came to the fore during a review meeting chaired by the Secretary Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India.

As per the official figures, the teacher strength in 28,805 schools in J&K during 2021-22 was recorded as 1.67 lakh and the enrollment was recorded as 27,18,644.

However, in 2022-23 the number of schools was reduced to 24,278 with a slight decline in the number of teachers while the number of students was recorded as 2,614,335.

The enrollment decreased by 1,04,289 in the schools when the School Education Department (SED) claimed registration of more than 1 lakh new admissions in schools.

While the enrollment decreased by over 1 lakh from the 2021-22 to 2022-23 academic year, the department later witnessed a meagre increase of 15,617 students in 2023-24 as the enrollment increased to 26,29,952.

Earlier, Greater Kashmir reported that the analysis of the enrolment for the academic year 2023-24 and 2022-23 as per the UDISE data of the schools has shown a decline in the enrollment of students by 61,451 in one year.

The decline in enrollment has been observed while comparing the UDISE data for the academic year 2022-23 and the academic year 2023-24.

As per the official document, the decline in the enrolment of the students was identified in 554 schools of J&K in one year.

In the wake of the disturbing revelation, the directorate Samagra Shiksha J&K asked all the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) to validate the data and ascertain the reasons for the decline in enrollment in schools.

An official said the CEOs were collecting the data from all the schools and submitting the report to the department.

Notably, the decline in enrollment has been observed despite the annual enrollment drives held by the School Education Department (SED) over the past few years.

The department claimed to have registered over 1 lakh new admissions in schools in different classes.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has sought a “valid reason” from the SED for the decline in enrollment.

“If there is a drop in enrollment over the past two years in your UT, give a valid reason for the dropout in the coming 15 days as directed by the Secretary Department of School Education and Literacy,” reads a message sent to the SED.

The reasons were sought a day after the Secretary DSEL chaired a review meeting with the SED.

“In UDISE 2022-23 and 2023-24 if there is a fall, it will affect the overall GER calculations which will be lower than the earlier years,” the message reads.