RTI shows distance education for dropouts dips to a decade low amid pandemic

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A Right to Information (RTI) reply has revealed that Patrachar Vidyalaya had the lowest enrolment for classes X and XII for the 2020-21 academic session in the last decade. The enrolment was lowest since 2012 for Class X and for Class XII lowest since 2010. COVID-19 pandemic and the improved results of governments schools this year are the reasons for low numbers.

Established in 1968, Patrachar Vidyalaya platform opens new vistas of education for students who drop out of schools. It helps students continue in formal education. Admission can be taken directly in Class X by the students who fail in Class XI. Students can also take admission XII if they have a gap or failed in Class XI. Under Patrachar Vidyalaya, these students appear for the board exam and contact programmes are held for them during holidays and the weekends.

529 students enrolled for Class X for 2020-21 and 1,732 for Class XII, an RTI reply showed. There were 3,233 students in Class X and 5,978 in Class XII enrolled last year.

1,270 students were enrolled in Class XII, while 487 had signed up for Class X in 2010. In 2011-12, just 338 had enrolled in Class X. Under this scheme, in 2018-19, the highest number of students enrolled in Class XII were 7,077 and for Class X, it was 3,233 in 2019-20.

“This low enrolment could be due to the pandemic as many people moved away from the capital due to the lockdown.” A K Jha, principal of Government Sarvodaya Co-ed Vidyalaya, Sector-8 Rohini, said to TOI.

The admissions were held online this time, but students had to visit the centre for the verification of the documents.