4.74 crore children out of school, experts seek alternate learning paths
An estimated 4.74 crore children in India remain outside the school system, experts said at a consultation organised by Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre (JAC) Society and India Habitat Centre (IHC) on September 14, calling for stronger alternative and flexible education pathways to reach them.
The consultation, titled “Alternative and Innovative Education for Out of School Children (OOSC) and Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs): The Role of CSOs,” was held at Casurina, IHC, bringing together educationists, Government representatives and civil society organisations to discuss educational exclusion and learner-centred pathways for children outside formal schooling.
Moderating the discussion, Amod K Kanth, Founder and Mentor of Prayas JAC Society and Former DGP (IPS), cited the NSSO’s 75th Round household survey (2017-18), which found 3.22 crore children aged 6 to 17 out of school, alongside an estimated 4.74 crore children in the same age group outside the school system. He noted UDISE+ 2024-25 data showing India has 14.71 lakh schools and 24.69 crore students. Kanth also referenced NITI Aayog’s report “Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047,” which estimates 8.7 crore youth aged 15 to 29 are NEET, not in education, employment or training.
Rita Panicker Pinto, Executive Director of Butterflies, shared field experience from Uttarakhand on identifying out-of-school children through collaboration between the Education Department, district administration and CSOs, describing civil society organisations as vital last-mile partners bridging children back into formal schooling, open schooling and skills training.
Prof (Dr) Kamalakant Biswal of NIEPA, Ministry of Education, raised concerns over limitations in existing education data and called for better household-level data, locally relevant approaches, improved teacher quality and attention to social and economic circumstances affecting children’s readiness to learn.
Dr Sujeet Ranjan, CEO of United Way of Delhi, emphasised a life cycle approach from enrolment through learning, retention and transition to skills and livelihoods, highlighting the role of CSOs in connecting children, parents, schools, Government and CSR partners, alongside early engagement through Anganwadi centres.
India Habitat Centre Director K G Suresh said strengthening education foundations at the primary and school level was essential, noting that unemployability, not unemployment, remains among the biggest challenges, and called for stronger Government-CSO partnerships and actionable policies.
In his concluding remarks, Prof Binay Pattanayak, Member, NCERT, and Chief Consultant, NSTC Programme Office, NCERT, said bringing children into school must be accompanied by attention to education quality, underlining the role of School Management Committees, Panchayati Raj institutions, NIOS and CSOs.
Prayas, with over 35 years of experience, currently operates 330 centres across 12 states and union territories, reaching around 45,000 to 50,000 beneficiaries daily through alternative education, bridge courses and vocational training, having supported nearly 2.98 lakh children to date.
