The dropout rates of students in government-sponsored schools have plummeted in the last one year. This was stated by the State Education minister in the Assembly on November 19, in reply to a question.
The minister also said that the student-teacher ratio would be rationalised soon for the betterment of overall education at school level.
The minister presented comprehensive data on the school dropout rates, level by level, which is presented below (for academic year 2016-17 and 2017-18):
- Primary: 3.85% to 2.12% (decrease by 44.94%)
- Upper primary: 7.5% to 0.17% (decrease by 97.63%)
- Secondary (Madhyamik): 26.32% to 14.64% (decrease by 44.38%)
- Higher Secondary (Uccha Madhyamik): 21.52% to 11.04% (decrease by 48.61%)
Regarding teacher-student ratio, he categorically stated that the rationalisation process for making the teacher-student ratio to 1:20 has already been started, and would be completed within the next two to three months.