Education Minister reports surge in girls’ school enrollment

In a statement to the Rajya Sabha, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan disclosed a notable 31 per cent increase in the enrollment of female students in schools between 2014-15. He attributed this growth to various initiatives spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Pradhan highlighted that out of the 300 million students in India—260 million in grades 0-12th and 40 million in higher education—only a small fraction pursue further studies.

Responding to MPs’ queries during the question hour, Pradhan revealed that under the Modi-led government, there has been a 20-25 per cent rise in the number of students pursuing higher education. Notably, the enrollment growth rate for girls from Scheduled Castes (SC) reached 50 per cent, while SC and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students experienced growth rates of 44 per cent and 65 per cent, respectively.

During the question hour, Pradhan also addressed the increased enrollment of students from Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and highlighted a significant 45 per cent rise in female students from the Muslim minority in schools.

Emphasising the impact of government initiatives on education, Pradhan asserted that children are now more inclined towards studying. He expressed optimism about the New Education Policy, anticipating that it would propel India to new heights within the next three years.

Pradhan underscored the importance of languages in preserving India’s cultural identity. He announced measures to enhance the teaching of Indian languages, citing the obligation for students in classes 11 and 12 to study a minimum of two languages, with one being an Indian language, as per the updated curriculum framework. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a circular to ensure the availability of teaching and learning materials for 20 Indian civil languages in schools.