New Delhi: A startling revelation from the Union Education Ministry indicates that over 10,000 unrecognised schools are currently operating across Jharkhand and Bihar, enrolling more than 1.6 million students and employing over 88,000 teachers. This significant presence of unregulated educational institutions raises serious questions about the quality of education being imparted and the future prospects of these students.
According to data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+) 2023-24, shared during recent Project Approval Board (PAB) meetings, Jharkhand alone accounts for 5,879 unrecognised schools, affecting over 8.37 lakh students. Bihar follows closely with 4,915 such schools, catering to 7.75 lakh students. These figures highlight a widespread violation of Section 19 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009, which mandates that all pre-existing schools must fulfil specific norms to gain recognition within three years of the Act’s commencement. Failure to comply should lead to withdrawal of recognition and cessation of operations.
The Ministry has urged both state governments to take immediate action, either by granting recognition to these schools after they meet the necessary standards or by taking appropriate measures to ensure compliance. The existence of such a large number of unrecognised schools, many of which began functioning before the RTE Act, underscores a long-standing challenge in the region’s education landscape.
Beyond the issue of recognition, the Ministry has also flagged significant discrepancies in the reporting of out-of-school children (OoSC) data by Bihar and Jharkhand. This mismatch between state-reported figures on the PRABANDH portal and National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data further complicates efforts to accurately assess and address educational needs in these states.
The sheer scale of this issue necessitates urgent and concerted efforts from the state governments to regularize these schools or integrate their students into recognized institutions. The continued operation of unrecognised schools puts millions of children at a disadvantage, potentially depriving them of quality education and recognized credentials essential for their future.
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