In India, girls education is often considered the lowest priority particularly, a girl’s higher education. A 2017 National commission for the protection of Child Right’s (NCPCR Report) also echoes similar worries that around 39.4% of adolescent girls in the 15-18 age group are not attending any educational institution. According to current transition rates of (AISHE 2018-19), Enrollment of girls in primary school is 97.6%; enrolment in secondary school is 81%, enrolment in senior secondary school is 56.4% and enrolment in higher education is 23.5%. The highest % of girls drop out between class 10th and class 12th. In 2016-17 the highest average annual dropout rate at different stage of school education was at the secondary level the rate is at 19.8.
The percentage distribution of persons in the age groups of 5-29 years who dropped out/ discontinued education is highest for the age group 16-24 years at 55.4% (With males 53.6% and females at 57.4%).
Ten million girls in India dropped out of secondary school due to the Covid -19 pandemic, according to a Right to Education forum policy brief 2021 with 1.6 Million girls aged 11 to 14 year currently out of school, the pandemic could disproportionately impact girls further by putting them at risk of early marriage, early pregnancy poverty, trafficking and violence.
