Years after an overdrive to enroll children in
schools, the government suspects that a number of
these children may not exist and higher enrollment may
have been shown to claim more funds from the Central
government.
A school survey in nine districts of Bihar has
revealed 4.37 lakh fake
admissions. In Jharkhand, names of 7.6 lakh
students have been stuck off the rolls on suspicion of
being non-existent. In Uttar Pradesh, the number of
students enrolled in upper primary level has dropped
by over four lakh in a year. A drop in enrollment has
also been observed in Chhattisgarh.
These were some of the startling results of a survey
by the National University of Educational Planning and
Administration (NUEPA) shared with the senior HRD
ministry officials during review of Sarva Siksha
Abhiyan on Monday. The NUEPA survey covers 1.36
million schools across India and is the largest census
of schools in the world.
The preliminary data shared with the government has
recorded a drop in enrolment in government run schools
since the Right To Education Act was enforced in June
2010. The RTE prescribes quality standards for schools
such as a qualified teacher for every 30 students,
separate rooms for each class and primary school
within five kilometers of a child’s home.
Implementation of the watershed law meant higher
financial burden on the governments to meet the
standards, latest by 2013.
“Many state governments are already feeling the
pinch and has sought higher contribution from the
Central government in the 12th five year plan
(2012-17),” said a senior government official.
Before RTE came into force, the Central government
was providing funds on basis of new enrolments,
resulting in an incentive to enroll new students. The
enrolment in primary schools witnessed a jump from
around 90% in 2004-05 to around 99% to 2010. For every
extra child enrolled the state government was also
getting additional funds for providing the mid-day
meals.
“In the last 18 months pressure has been increasing
on the state governments to provide more funds to
create adequate infrastructure forcing many of them to
revisit the schools,” a senior government official
said.
NUEPA has recorded the initial trend of decline in
government school admissions for the academic year
2010-11. Small state like Tripura recorded a fall in
admission in primary schools by around five lakh.
Tamil Nadu about one lakh, Madhya Pradesh by about two
lakh.
States such as Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh,
which witnessed a jump in new admissions, have
witnessed a decline in the academic year 2011-12.
“About 10-15 percent students enrolled in Jharkhand
did not come to school for even a single day in a
month thereby causing a suspicion of fake admissions,”
an official said.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has already
ordered an inquiry and salary of hundreds of teachers
believed to be involved in fake admission scam has
been stopped. Jharkhand government has also ordered
inquiry against school administration, which recorded
high absenteeism.
School facts
Overall enrolment: around 99 %
Annual drop out rate : 6.74 % of 133 million
children in schools
Five year retention rate : 74 %
Transition from primary to elementary level: 85 %.
Class of shame
Around 2.80 lakh schools don’t have common toilet
Around 4 lakh schools don’t have separate toilets
for girls.
Around 80,000 schools don’t have regular water
supply.
Average classroom in a primary school is 3.2
Single teacher schools : 13.25 %
