Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD
Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just
Try GOLD - Free
Drive to enrol out-of-school, dropout children
The Morning Standard
|March 21, 2026
THE Department of School Education and Literacy under the Union Ministry of Education is set to launch a nationwide drive to identify and enrol out-of-school and dropout children, as it gears up to achieve a target of 100 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2030.
The focus of this drive will be to get the children on board via the Open Schooling system.
The Ministry of Education said that the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, has set a target of achieving 100 per cent GER from preschool to secondary level by 2030. However, according to the annual report of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), 2023-24, nearly two crore children aged 14-18 years are not attending school, while around 11 per cent of children in Grades III to VIII remain out of school. Over 50 lakh students fail board examinations each year.
“Open schooling offers a practical alternative for children unable to attend regular schools due to economic, social, or geographical constraints,” the ministry added.
This story is from the March 21, 2026 edition of The Morning Standard.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Morning Standard
The Morning Standard
CM: EPS-Shah meet proves poll fight is between TN & Delhi
DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin, who has positioned the ensuing assembly election as a battle between “Tamil Nadu and Delhi’, questioned the frequent trips of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and other opposition leaders to Delhi, alleging that the key political decisions are being dictated from Delhi.
1 mins
March 21, 2026
The Morning Standard
Capital under thick security cover for Eid
THE Delhi Police has made adequate security arrangements, including enhanced checking and patrolling to ensure a safe, peaceful and harmonious celebration of Eid and Navratri.
1 min
March 21, 2026
The Morning Standard
HC raps Centre over minority body vacancies
Two-judge bench questions delay, seeks accountability from ministry over prolonged inaction on key appointments
1 mins
March 21, 2026
The Morning Standard
Envoy-designate Vikram Doraiswami has an interesting Chinese name, Wei Jiameng
INDIA'S newly appointed Ambassador to China Vikram Doraiswami has a Chinese name: Wei Jiameng, which denotes auspicious or praiseworthy ally.
1 min
March 21, 2026
The Morning Standard
RISING COST OF WAR GOES FAR BEYOND BARRELS & BORDERS
THE effects of the Gulf War have spilled far beyond oil wells and gas fields.
1 mins
March 21, 2026
The Morning Standard
CFO of IPO-bound Flipkart steps down
AHEAD of its potential initial public offering (IPO), Flipkart Group chief financial officer Sriram Venkataraman is stepping down from his role, the company said on Friday.
1 min
March 21, 2026
The Morning Standard
Guard your lungs
EVERY year on March 24 we mark World Tuberculosis Day, yet most of us still think, “TB happens to someone else.”
2 mins
March 21, 2026
The Morning Standard
Local aero engine testing to reduce foreign reliance
DRDO seeks industry interest to set up facility for simulated trials
1 mins
March 21, 2026
The Morning Standard
GAZE OF MODERN-DAY TUGHLAQS
THE world’s most significant democracies are competing in a game that looks absurd but reflects sound political expediency.
3 mins
March 21, 2026
The Morning Standard
The Stoves Must Not Go Cold
THE geopolitical situation in the Middle East has shaken global energy markets, with its effects now being felt in the kitchens of Delhi’s working class.
2 mins
March 21, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size