In response to declining enrollment rates over the past three years, the state government has announced a week-long mop-up campaign as part of its "Praveshotsav Special Enrollment Campaign" for the 2024-25 academic year. The initiative aims to achieve 100% enrollment in all government and private schools for children aged 6 to 18.
The campaign, which initially ran from April 1 to June 30, 2024, will now see an extended push to address the falling Gross Enrollment Ratio. Education officials have expressed concern over the decreasing number of students in classes 1 through 12 across the state.
Key aspects of the mop-up campaign include:
- House-to-house verification by Shiksha Sevaks and Shiksha Sevaks (Talimi Markaz) to ensure no child remains unenrolled, especially focusing on Mahadalit, Dalit, and minority backward classes.
- Collaboration with local stakeholders such as Anganwadi workers, Jeevika Didis, Vikas Mitras, and panchayat members to support the enrollment drive.
- Mandatory certification by school and community officials stating that no child in their area is left unenrolled.
- A renewed push to complete the e-Shikshakosh database, linking students' Aadhaar numbers to prevent fake and double enrollments.
- The state is also emphasizing the importance of Aadhaar card registration for all students. Block Education Officers and their teams are tasked with organizing camps to facilitate Aadhaar card creation for students who don't have them.
This comprehensive approach aims to not only boost enrollment but also ensure accurate data collection, which is crucial for the effective implementation of government schemes through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Education department officials urge all districts to prioritize this campaign to secure the educational future of the state's children.