Odisha Government Steps Up Drive Against School Dropouts, Over 60,000 Students Re-enrolled

The Odisha government has intensified its efforts to curb school dropouts, successfully bringing more than 60,000 out-of-school children back into the formal education system through targeted outreach and welfare measures.

State School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond said the initiative is part of a broader push to ensure access to education for every child in the state. Speaking on the progress of the campaign, the minister said a series of measures have been rolled out to address both academic and socio-economic reasons behind school dropouts.

A key intervention has been the ‘Aaso School Jiba’ campaign, under which teachers conducted door-to-door surveys across districts to identify children who had discontinued their studies. The exercise identified 1,83,216 students who were no longer enrolled in schools.

Following sustained engagement with families and counselling of parents, 60,863 students have so far been re-enrolled, with the government extending necessary academic and logistical support to help them continue their education.

Officials noted that a significant number of dropouts belonged to Scheduled Tribe communities. To address this, the state is implementing the Madho Singh Hath Kharch Scheme, which provides financial assistance of ₹5,000 to Scheduled Tribe students enrolling in Class IX, aimed at reducing financial barriers to secondary education.

To tackle infrastructure-related challenges, the government has upgraded nearly 200 schools across Odisha to include higher secondary classes, improving access for students in rural and remote areas where the absence of nearby schools has often led to dropouts.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the Mid-Day Meal scheme has also been extended to cover students of Classes IX and X. The move is intended to improve attendance and address nutritional concerns among adolescents.

Strengthening the teaching workforce has been another focus area. Over the past 18 months, 21,515 teachers have been recruited across the state. The government has announced plans to appoint an additional 45,000 teachers over the next three years to further reinforce the education system.

The renewed push reflects the state government’s effort to address long-standing gaps in school participation, particularly among vulnerable communities, while ensuring sustained retention beyond primary education.