Karnataka identifies 1 lakh+ dropouts aged above 15, rolls out plan to bring them back to studies

In a significant move to address the issue of school dropouts, the Karnataka government has identified 1,03,042 students above the age of 15 who have left the formal education system during the current academic year. Of these, 64,573 students dropped out at the Pre-University (PU) level, while the remaining 38,469 left after registering for the SSLC (Class 10) examination.

The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has initiated measures to enrol these students in the Secondary and Senior Secondary examinations conducted through the Karnataka State Open Schools (KSOS). The Union Ministry of Education has approved a sum of ₹12.91 crore to cover the examination fee of ₹2,000 per student, making the process fee-free for the identified dropouts.

The data emerged from a survey conducted by Samagra Shikshana-Karnataka (SSK) for the 2026-27 academic year. According to the survey, 38,469 students aged 15 to 18, who had registered for the SSLC examination, and 64,573 students, who had registered for the II PUC examination, did not appear for their exams.

State Project Director of SSK, K. Vidyakumari, expressed concern over the scale of the issue. “It is a serious matter that such a large number of students are out of academic activities. Once they miss an examination, they will never write the examination again. So, we want to ensure that these students write the examination through KSOS,” she said.

To facilitate this, SSK has decided to identify one additional study centre in each taluk, alongside the existing 220 National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) study centres. Authorities have been instructed to prioritise the identification of a Government High School or Government PU College that already serves as an SSLC examination centre—one in rural areas and one in urban areas per taluk—to function as a KSOS study and examination centre.

The principal or headmaster of the identified school will be appointed as the coordinator, with senior teachers or lecturers from the same institution serving as assistant coordinators. Nodal officers will also be appointed at the district and taluk levels to oversee the initiative. A one-day workshop is planned at the block or cluster level for dropouts and their parents who have already been identified to register for the examinations.

According to an official circular, “Necessary orders will be issued through the Block Education Officers (BEOs) concerned to provide educational assistance from the teachers of the study centre or high school near the child’s residence.” In addition, district and taluk officials will visit the homes of students and their families to persuade them to register for the KSOS exams.

Ms. Vidyakumari explained, “The district and taluk-level officials will visit the homes of the students concerned or schools and colleges. They will convince the students and parents to register for the KSOS exams. If necessary, we will also conduct classes and do a bridge course for these students. In addition, if the students wish, we will enrol them again in schools and colleges.”

The students will also receive guidance on selecting the medium of examination and subject combination, as well as access to nearby libraries and digital platforms for exam preparation. Officials have been asked to provide continuous handholding until the completion of the examinations.

“A proposal was submitted to the Project Approval Board (PAB) of the Union Ministry of Education regarding the registration of dropouts above 15 years for the secondary and senior secondary examinations held through KSOS. This proposal has been approved and the examination fee of ₹2,000 per student has been approved. Students should make good use of this opportunity,” Ms. Vidyakumari added.