Female Enrolment In Schools Increased By 31 Per Cent Under Modi Government, Maximum Surge In ST, SC, OBC Students

Discussing the New Education Policy 2024 in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday (20 December), Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister of Education, stated that the initiatives implemented by the central government under the leadership of Narendra Modi have led to a 31 per cent increase in female student enrollment in schools.

The Minister of Education announced a 31 per cent surge in the number of female students since the inauguration of the Modi-led administration in 2014, indicating that women are increasingly pursuing education.

Pradhan stated that India is home to over 300 million students, with 260 million enrolled in grades 0-12 and 40 million in higher education institutions. However, only a very small minority of these students venture abroad for their studies.

He stated that the student count in higher education has risen by 20-25 per cent under the governance of Modi.

Pradhan reported a significant rise in school attendance among marginalised groups, with a 44 per cent upsurge in students from backward classes, a 50 per cent surge in female students from Scheduled Castes (SC), and an impressive 80 per cent increase in female students from Scheduled Tribes (ST) attending schools.

He further mentioned that there has been an expansion in the number of students from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), along with a significant 45 per cent surge in the enrollment of female students from the Muslim minority in schools.

Pradhan indicated that the increased study habits among children are a result of government initiatives. He also added that the New Education Policy would play a significant role in propelling India to unprecedented heights in the forthcoming three years.

The education minister emphasised the importance of promoting the teaching of Indian languages in schools, asserting that the essence of India is preserved through its languages. This is the primary reason behind the government's decision to implement strategies that enhance the instruction of Indian languages.

According to the revised educational syllabus, it has become mandatory for all pupils in 11th and 12th grades to learn at least two languages, one of which must be an Indian language.

Pradhan has stated that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a circular requiring the provision of teaching and learning materials for 20 Indian civil languages in schools.