(a) As per the District Information System for Education (DISE) the enrolment share of Muslim children in the age group of 6-14 years has increased from 11.03% in 2008-09 to 13.31% in 2011-12 at the primary level. The enrolment data with respect to Muslim children at the secondary stage of education and data on other minority communities for the primary and secondary stage of education are not collected.
(b) The reasons for children dropping out include socio-economic factors and cultural barriers to girls’ education, differing perceptions on the relevance of education and poverty, sibling care and household duties etc.
(c) Through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the States/UTs are supported, inter alia, to open of new schools, strengthen school infrastructure, appoint additional teachers, intervene to enrol out-of-school children, promote girls education, promote inclusive education for children with special needs, train teachers, and supply free textbooks, uniforms, etc. Minority concentration districts receive focused attention through targeted budget allocation and allocation of school infrastructure. The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) supports the States/UTs for secondary education by providing for school infrastructure like buildings, toilets, drinking water, libraries, laboratories etc. and additional teacher posts.`
(d) & (e) Under the SSA, an independent study was conducted to assess teachers’ absence, which found that average teacher attendance was 81.7% in primary and 80.5% in upper primary schools. A national sample survey was also done to find reasons for the dropping out of children from elementary education. The States are being provided assistance for the retention of children in schools such as MDM scheme, free textbooks, uniforms and KGBV’s.
