Student Flow at Primary Level - DISE

48 Student Flow at Primary LevelThe drop-out rate presented in Table 19 for cohort 2004-05 indicates anaverage drop-out rate of 9.96 percent in primary grades against 10.64percent during the previous cohort i.e. 2003-04. This shows that duringthe intermediary years 2004-05 and 2005-06, as many as 9.96 percentchildren enrolled in Grades I to V dropped out from the system beforecompleting the primary grades as against 10.64 percent during intermediaryyears 2003-04 and 2004-05, and 11.27 percent during 2002-03 and 2003-04. The high incidence of drop-out in the primary grades is also evident inthe Apparent Survival Rates presented above (Table 8). An average dropoutrate of 9.96 percent in primary grades during intermediary years 2004-05 and 2005-06 indirectly indicates a very high drop-out rate at primarylevel over a period of five year. Consequently, it also indicates a lowretention rate at the primary level of education. On the one hand, a fewstates reported low average drop-out rate than the average of all districts,while the other hand other states reported higher drop-out rates.Arunachal Pradesh reported a high drop-out rate of 15.93 percent followedby 14.90 percent in Rajasthan, 14.10 percent in Uttarakhand, 12.66 inHaryana, 11.55 percent in West Bengal, 11.53 percent in Uttar Pradeshand 11.36 percent in Bihar. Except Arunachal Pradesh, all these states arebig states and crucial for the country to attain the status of universalretention at the primary level of education. Kerala with 1.34 percent,Tamil Nadu with 2.00 percent and Himachal Pradesh with 2.85 percentdrop-out rate have almost achieved the goal of universal retention atprimary level. Experience of these states may be useful to other states ashow they have achieved it and also the strategies adopted by them toattain this stature.A cursory look at grade-specific drop-out rates indicates that about 11.89percent children enrolled in Grade I in 2004-05 dropped out before thecompletion of Grade I between 2004-05 and 2005-06, compared to 12.17percent during the previous cohort. In many states, drop-out rate inGrade I is noticed to be alarmingly high, and it needs careful examinationand appropriate strategies to check it. Among the major states, Rajasthanreported a very high (20.63 percent compared to 24.97 percent duringprevious year) drop-out rate in Grade I. Bihar (15.22 percent against 14.44percent in previous year), Jammu and Kashmir (19.24 percent), Jharkhand(27.55 percent), Meghalaya (33.29 percent), Uttarakhand (16.61 percent),Uttar Pradesh (10.68 percent) and West Bengal (16.29 percent) alsoreported a very high drop-out rate in Grade I. Unlike Grade I, Grades II, IIIand IV have lower drop-out rates and the same varies between 5.49 to6.88 percent. However, a few states, such as Meghalaya (Grades II, III and