Answer

Introduction

Despite Article 21A and the Right to Education (RTE) Act, female dropout rates spike significantly at the secondary level. This gendered attrition stems from a complex interplay of deep-seated socio-cultural norms, economic constraints, and infrastructural deficits that prevent girls from realizing their full academic potential.

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Factors Contributing to Female School Dropout

• Infrastructural Deficits: The lack of functional, separate toilets and menstrual hygiene management facilities often forces girls to stay home once they reach puberty.
• Safety Concerns: Long distances to secondary schools and the absence of safe transport increase the risk of gender-based violence, deterring parents from sending daughters.
  Eg: Distance to school is a primary reason for high dropout rates among girls in states like Rajasthan and Bihar.
• Domestic Burden: Entrenched patriarchal roles often prioritize a girl’s contribution to household chores and sibling care over her formal education.
• Early Marriage: Despite legal prohibitions, the “protection” of a girl’s chastity through early marriage remains a major catalyst for pulling girls out of school.
  Eg: NFHS-5 data shows 58% of girls with no education were married below 18 years of age as compared to only 4% among those who attained higher education.

Implications for Universalisation of Education

• Widening Gender Gap: High dropout rates create a skewed literacy profile, preventing the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) for all.
• Intergenerational Poverty: Poorly educated mothers are less likely to prioritize their children’s health and schooling, trapping future generations in a cycle of poverty.
• Economic Productivity Loss: The exclusion of women from the formal workforce due to low education levels results in a massive loss to India’s GDP.
  Eg:India could boost its growth by 1.5 percentage points to 9 percent per year if around 50% of women could join the work force.
• Social Disempowerment: Without education, girls lose the agency to make informed choices regarding their health, finances, and participation in the democratic process.

Measures to Overcome Negative Implications

• Conditional Cash Transfers: Providing financial incentives linked to school attendance and the completion of secondary education can offset the opportunity cost of schooling.
  Eg: The Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme in West Bengal has been globally recognized for reducing dropouts and early marriages.
• Infrastructural Upgradation: Ensuring 100% saturation of separate toilets and providing bicycles or “Pink Buses” for safe commuting can improve retention.
  Eg: The Saraswati Cycle Yojana in Chhattisgarh significantly improved transition rates for girls from primary to secondary school.
• Community Sensitization: Utilizing local leaders and “School Management Committees” to change mindsets regarding the value of a girl’s education is vital.
  Eg: The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign uses local champions to challenge regressive social norms at the grassroots.
• Digital Integration: Providing affordable devices and gender-sensitive digital literacy can ensure learning continuity during crises or in remote areas.
  Eg: The DIKSHA platform has been used to provide bridge courses specifically for out-of-school girls.

Conclusion

Ending female school dropouts is not merely an educational goal but a prerequisite for national development. By addressing the specific vulnerabilities of the girl child through targeted policy interventions and social mobilization, India can ensure that the “Right to Education” becomes a lived reality for every daughter of the soil.

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