Kashmir's Dropout Crisis

More children in Kashmir are leaving school before they finish.

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This is no longer a concern based on stories or impressions. Government data now makes it clear.At the primary level, the dropout rate in Jammu and Kashmir stood below four percent in 2022-23. In just one year, it climbed to nearly nine percent. At the upper primary level, the rate rose from about two and a half percent to over four percent.

The biggest rise shows up at the secondary stage. In 2023-24, the dropout rate crossed nine percent, far higher than it was earlier in the decade. This stage matters deeply because it often decides whether a young person can move toward stable work or remain stuck in uncertainty.