In order to increase enrolment and prevent dropout of children from SC, ST and Muslim communities, the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) has recommended a special recruitment drive for teachers and also incentive for them to work in areas inhabited by the marginalised communities.
In a recent report prepared to give inputs to the Ministry of Human Resource Development on how to reach the target enrolment rate of 15 per cent during the 11th Plan, the NUEPA also recommended a shift from the supply-based approach with little involvement of community to a demand-based one where the local people could play a pro-active role in educational planning and implementation.
“Elementary education for empowerment of socially disadvantaged groups”, authored by NUEPA Vice-Chancellor Ved Prakash, has asked the authorities to ensure that the culture and ethos of these communities could find fullest expression in school curriculum.
“Supply of incentives like free textbooks, uniforms and scholarships should be adequate and timely,” he said, adding that provision of skill-based education should be made in all upper primary schools located in areas predominated by SCs, STs and Muslims.
Recommending a special recruitment drive for teachers the NUEPA said, “A large number of schools are still single-teacher ones and when he or she is absent the school remains dysfunctional. To overcome this problem, at least one teacher for each grade should be deployed in schools located in habitations predominated by SCs, STs and Muslims.”
The dropout rates of SC and ST children declined marginally from 68 per cent and 79 per cent, respectively in 1990-91 to 57 per cent and 66 per cent in 2004-05. The dropout rates of SCs and STs are much higher, compared to 51 per cent for general population in 2004-05. Moreover, as many as 60 per cent SC and 67 per cent ST girls leave the school without completing upper primary education compared to 51 per cent of girls from general population.
According to the government estimates, about 8.17 per cent SC, 9.54 per cent ST and 9.97 per cent Muslim children were found to be out of school.

State feat
However, according to data released by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) on proportion of children aged 6-14 years enrolled in schools, Karnataka has higher percentage of enrolment compared to the national average in so far as the marginalized groups are concerned.
For example, the national average for SC/ST enrolment is 79.7 per cent, it is 82.2 per cent for Karnataka.
For the Muslim population it is 90.7 per cent in the State compared to the national average of 81.8 per cent.