Punjab, Haryana See 7.6 Lakh Teens Out of School; Rajasthan Tops at 17.4 Lakh

Over 7.6 lakh teenagers in Punjab and Haryana are not attending school, according to the latest data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24. The data was presented during the 22nd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Northern Zonal Council in Shimla, where discussions focused on measures to reduce school dropout rates in the region.

Combined, Punjab reported 4,24,110 out-of-school children aged 14-18, while Haryana reported 3,44,446. Among these, Punjab has 2,27,416 boys and 1,96,694 girls not attending school, out of total populations of 11,80,223 boys and 10,70,466 girls in that age group. Haryana has 2,03,906 boys and 1,40,540 girls out of school, out of total age-group populations of 13,65,434 boys and 10,12,140 girls.

Across the northern region, including Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and other states and Union Territories, a total of 28,19,966 children aged 14-18 are not enrolled in school. The region has 14,37,229 boys and 13,82,737 girls in this age group who are out of the education system.

Rajasthan has the highest number of out-of-school children in the northern region at 17,39,089. Of these, 8,24,712 are boys and 9,14,377 are girls, out of total age-group populations of 41,13,591 boys and 37,41,100 girls.

The data highlights a significant challenge in retaining teenagers in the education system across northern India. The Standing Committee of the Northern Zonal Council discussed strategies to address the dropout rates, focusing on barriers such as poverty, lack of access, and social factors.