17.39 Lakh Adolescents Out of School in Rajasthan, Highest in Northern India, Says PLFS Data
New Delhi: Rajasthan has recorded the highest number of out-of-school adolescents in the northern region, with over 17.39 lakh children aged 14 to 18 not attending school, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 data. The figures were presented at the 22nd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Northern Zonal Council held in Shimla, where state representatives discussed measures to reduce school dropout rates.
The data shows that among the 17,39,089 out-of-school adolescents in Rajasthan, 8,24,712 are boys and 9,14,377 are girls. The total population of boys in this age group in the state is 41,13,591, while the total population of girls is 37,41,100.
Punjab follows with 4,24,110 out-of-school adolescents, comprising 2,27,416 boys (out of a total 11,80,223 boys) and 1,96,694 girls (out of a total 10,70,466 girls). Haryana ranks third with 3,44,446 out-of-school adolescents, though the gender-wise breakdown for Haryana was not detailed in the presented data.
The PLFS data highlights a significant challenge in the northern states, where a large number of young people remain outside the formal education system. The Northern Zonal Council meeting focused on policy interventions and collaborative efforts to bring down dropout rates and ensure better educational access for all.
Officials from Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and other northern states and Union Territories participated in the discussions, emphasizing the need for targeted programmes to address factors such as poverty, lack of infrastructure, and social barriers that contribute to children leaving school prematurely.
