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 New Indian Express Tiruchy
|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-ofschool 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 New Indian Express Tiruchy.
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 New Indian Express Tiruchy
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Cong slams govt, says Pak has got regional influence
THE Congress on Monday attacked the Modi government over its handling of the foreign policy, saying Pakistan seems to have acquired a new regional and global influence, and this coupled with China’s embedding in Pakistan’s strategic apparatus, poses a formidable geopolitical challenge for India.
1 min
June 16, 2026
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Samurai spirit behind Netherlands 2-2 draw
DAICHI Kamada and his Japanese teammates were minutes away from a World Cup-opening loss that wouldn't have been unexpected considering the opponent.
1 min
June 16, 2026
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
SC stays HC proceedings on pleas on Transgender Amendment Act, 2026
THE Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to petitioners in several high courts on the Centre’s plea to transfer petitions challenging the Transgender Persons Protection of Rights (Amendment) Act 2026 to the top court.
1 min
June 16, 2026
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Vedanta's demerged entities witness lacklustre debut, stocks fall up to 5%
METALS and mining giant Vedanta Ltd completed its much-awaited demerger process on Monday with the listing of its four newly-formed entities on stock exchanges.
1 min
June 16, 2026
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Hydration breaks under scanner
POST their game against Japan, Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk spent a considerable amount of time on FIFA’s mandatory hydration breaks at the World Cup.
1 min
June 16, 2026
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Appeal against Dhruva Natchathiram release junked
A division bench of the Madras High Court on Monday dismissed the appeal filed by two film financiers against a single judge’s order for releasing Vikram-starrer Dhruva Natchathiram, a spy-thriller, which has been caught in a legal tangle for years.
1 min
June 16, 2026
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Inflation up, new PPI series to capture it kicks in
IN a major recast of the wholesale and factory gate inflation framework, the government on Monday unveiled a revised series of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) with 2022-23 as the base year and simultaneously introduced new Producer Price Indices (PPIs).
1 min
June 16, 2026
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Ayari pays respect to lineage
AFTER he opened the scoring in Sweden’s 5-1 victory over Tunisia in the World Cup on Sunday night, Yasin Ayari chose not to celebrate.
1 min
June 16, 2026
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Cong's betrayals had Rahul's blessings, he is solely responsible for undermining INDIA unity: DMK
IN what appeared to be its first direct and scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi since the two parties parted ways, the DMK accused the leader of being solely responsible for undermining the unity of the INDIA bloc across the country.
1 min
June 16, 2026
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Merchandise exports rise 18% to $45.2 billion in May
DESPITE the ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia, India's merchandise trade deficit remained largely stable compared with April and narrowed marginally from a year ago, according to government data released on Monday.
1 min
June 16, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size