HC asks govt to bring back out-of-school children

The High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to bring back all 1,70,585 students who have been identified as school dropouts in the academic year 2013-14. 

The government had earlier put the number at 51,000 and had said that it had rehabilitated 30,000 students. Hearing a suo motu petition, a division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice B V Nagarathna directed the State to ensure that the students are back in school by the next academic year and are retained.

The bench suggested the government to provide scholarships to students and other incentives as well. “If all the schemes meant for the students are implemented, there will not be any need to provide them with BPL cards. In case of non-implementation, you will be required to roll out various other programmes, which will become a burden,” the Chief Justice said. 

Amicus curiae Clifton Rozario who made a submission on behalf of social activist Kathyayini Chamraj said: “Of the total 1.7 lakh students who are identified as dropouts, 47,559 belong to the Scheduled Castes, 20,740 are Scheduled Tribes and 33,300 are minorities.
” Citing a report made by an NGO in the State, he said that according to a survey conducted in some villages in Gulbarga and Yadgir districts, the dropout rate is 50 per cent, while the government puts it at two to six six per cent.

The division bench then adjourned the matter with a direction to the committee it has formed, to convene a meeting. The bench said problems pertaining to school dropouts must be discussed and suggestions made to the government. The court directed that the proceedings of the meeting should be reported during the next hearing.