Shri
Kapil
Sibal,
Union Minister for Human
Resource Development,
released, here today, the
‘DISE Flash
Statistics-2008-09’ which is
a progress report towards
Universalisation of
Elementary Education in
India. This report has been
prepared by the National
University of Educational
Planning and
Administration(NEUPA).
NUEPA has created a
comprehensive database on
elementary education in
India known as District
Information System for
Education (DISE). The
project covers both primary
and upper primary
schools/sections of all the
districts of the country.
The MIS Units are now
operational both at the
district and state levels
and are providing vital
information for policy
formulation and preparation
of district elementary
education plans. DISE has
drastically reduced the
time-lag in the availability
of educational statistics
which is now down from 7-8
years to less than a year at
the national level and only
a few months at the district
and state levels.
To further
improve the quality of data,
it has now been made
mandatory for all the states
to check the data on five
percent random sample basis
through an independent
agency each year. States are
advised to initiate
corrective measures in the
light of the findings of
sample checking of data.
DISE 2008-09: School-Based
Indicators
With the improved
coverage, the number of
schools/sections imparting
elementary education dealt
with under DISE increased
many-fold. From 8,53,601
schools in 2002-03, their
number has increased to
11,96,663 schools in 2006-07
and further to 12,50,775
schools in 2007-08. In the
current year, 2008-09, as
many as 12,85,576
schools imparting elementary
education across 633
districts of the country are
covered under DISE.
Of the total
schools, about 87.30 percent
schools are located in the
rural areas. During the same
period, the number of
primary schools increased
from 6,01,866
to 8,09,108. Category-wise
distribution of schools
reveals that majority of the
schools (62.94 percent) are
independent primary schools.
The increase in the number
of schools is also reflected
in the ratio of primary to
upper primary
schools/sections which
clearly shows the impact of
Sarva
Shiksha
Abhiyan
under which a large number
of schools have been opened
in the recent past. This
ratio for the year 2008-09
is one upper primary
school/section for every set
of 2.27 primary
schools/sections compared to
2.45 in 2006-07 and 2.42
schools/sections in 2007-08.
Most of the states have the
ratio equivalent to almost
two, all of which suggests
that by and large schooling
facilities have been created
and are available across the
country. Despite significant
improvement in the ratio,
there are a few states, such
as
Arunachal Pradesh
(4.16) and West Bengal
(5.48), where the ratio
still needs to be improved
significantly.
72,886 and 1,77,034
schools covered in 2008-09
were respectively being
managed by the Private Aided
and Private Unaided
managements. DISE data also
suggests that majority of
the private schools are
un-aided schools (70.84
percent). The percentage of
government and government
aided schools is as high as
86.19 which show that about
ninety out of every hundred
schools imparting elementary
education in the country are
funded by the Government.
DISE 2008-09: Facility
Indicators
Like number of schools,
instructional rooms and
ratio of primary to upper
primary sections/schools,
facilities in schools have
also improved significantly
which is true for physical,
ancillary and
teaching-learning
facilities. Availability of
basic facilities in schools
not only attracts more
children to schools but also
help in improving retention
rate.
The preliminary analysis of
a select few indicators
suggests significant
improvement in all facility
indicators. As of 30th
September 2008, as many as 1,26,335
primary and 48,994 upper
primary schools/sections
have been opened under the
Government managements since
the inception of SSA.
2,22,534 schools have been
opened which is about 17.32
percent of the total schools
in 2008-09 in the country
and more than 90 percent of
these new schools have
school
buildingS.
Jharkhand has opened
as many as 16,102 primary
schools/sections
which
is the highest among
all the States and
UTs
of the country. On the
other hand, Uttar Pradesh
opened the highest number of
Upper Primary
schools/sections (21,042
schools/sections). Opening
of new schools is also
reflected in the ratio of
Primary to Upper Primary
schools/sections which stood
at 2.27 in 2008-09 compared
to 2.42 Primary
schools/sections per Upper
Primary school/section.The
improvement in average
number of classrooms is also
reflected in the improvement
in student-classroom ratio
which has improved to 33
students per classroom in
2008-09 from 35 students in
the previous year.
About 88 percent of the 1.29
million schools that impart
elementary education in the
country now have drinking
water facility in
school. All the schools in
Chandigarh,
Daman and
Diu,
Delhi,
Lakshadweep,
and Tamil
Nadu
have been provided with the
drinking water facility in
the school.
About 67 percent schools in
the country now have access
to common toilets in
2008-09 compared to only
62.67 percent in the
previous year all which
suggests that the facility
was extended to a large
number of additional schools
during the intermediary
years i.e. 2007-08 to
2008-09. More than 50
percent of total 1.29
million schools now have
girl’s toilet compared
to 50.55 percent in the
previous year i.e. 2007-08.
14 percent schools have
computer in schools
with percentage of such
schools as high as 85.88
percent in
Chandigarh, 85.84
percent in Delhi, 79.93
percent in
Kerala
and 89.74 percent in
Lakshadweep compared
to only 0.68 percent in
Bihar and 3.59 percent such
schools in Uttar Pradesh. On
the other hand, it has been
observed that 40.39 percent
schools in 2008-09 have
ramp in school and 43.33
percent Government and Aided
schools, a kitchen-shed
in the school premises.
DISE 2008-09:
Enrolment-Based Indicators
With the
increased coverage of
schools under DISE,
enrolment both at the
primary and upper primary
level of education has also
increased significantly. The
enrolment increased from
101.16 million in 2002-03 to
131.85 million in 2006-07
and further to 134.38
million in 2008-09. The
GER at primary level,
based on the DISE data is
estimated to be 115.31
percent, corresponding to
98.59 percent
NER.
A few states are near
achieving the goal of
universal primary
enrolment. Over a period of
time, enrolment in
upper primary classes has
also shown consistent
increase. From a low of
37.72 million in 2004-05, it
has increased to 53.35
million in 2008-09 (GER
73.74 percent).
Gender Parity
Index (GPI)
and percentage of girls’
enrolment in primary and
upper primary classes reveal
that there is consistent
improvement both in GPI and
girls’ share in enrolment.
The average of 633 districts
in 2008-09 indicates a GPI
of 0.94 in primary classes
and 0.91 in case of upper
primary classes.
At the primary
level, the share of SC
and ST enrolment with
respect to total enrolment
works out to 19.94 and 11.68
percent respectively.
Notably, at all levels,
government schools are the
main providers of
educational needs of both SC
and ST children. The share
of OBC enrolment in the
elementary classes is 42.26
percent.
One of the essential
requirements to achieve UEE
is to retain students in the
education system. The
apparent survival rate
(to Grade V) improved to 76
percent in 2008-09. This is
also reflected in
retention rate at
primary level which is
estimated to be 75 percent.
With improvement
in the number of schools,
facilities in schools and
enrolment, the dropout
rate for cohort 2007-08
indicates an average rate of
8.02 percent in primary
grades. One of the other
important indicators that
are essential to achieve UEE
is high transition from
primary level to upper
primary level of
education. It has improved
to 82.84 percent in 2008-09
from 81.13 percent in
2007-08.
Learner’s
achievement
is considered as one of the
important indicators of
quality of education.
Examination results at the
terminal grades is a
proxy indicator of learner’s
achievement. About 50
percent boys and 51 percent
girls passed Grade IV/V with
a score of 60 percent and
above, compared to 43
percent boys and 44 percent
girls scoring 60 percent and
above marks in Grade
VII/VIII; the same has shown
imrovement over the
previous year.
DISE 2008-09: MUSLIM
Enrolment
The analysis of data
suggests improvement in
participation of Muslim
Minority children in
elementary education
programmes. The data
which has been received from
1.29 million
recognised schools
imparting elementary
education from across 633
districts spread over
35 States and Union
Territories of the
country reveals a total
enrolment of 14.83
million Muslim children
in Primary classes in
2008-09 which is 11.03
percent of total
134.38 million enrolment
(Total) in Primary (I to V)
classes. During the pervious
year, the same was 10.49
percent and in 2006-07, it
was 9.39 percent. Of the
total Muslim enrolment in
Primary classes, the
percentage of Muslim girls
is 48.93 which
is
quite similar to the share
of girls in overall Primary
enrolment (48.38 percent).
The highest percentage of
Muslim enrolment is observed
in
Lakshadweep
UT (99.73 percent) which is
because of the fact that the
percentage of Muslim
population to total
population in the UT in 2001
was as high as 95.47
percent.
Like enrolment in Primary
classes, percentage of
Muslim enrolment in Upper
Primary classes has also
improved to 9.13 percent
in 2008-09 from 8.54 percent
in 2007-08 and 7.52 percent
in 2006-07. Of the total
53.35 million enrolment in
Upper Primary classes in
the country in 2008-09,
Muslim enrolment is 4.87
million and the
percentage of Muslim girls
to total Muslim enrolment in
Upper Primary classes is
50.03 percent which is
above the national average
of 47.58 percent girls
enrolment in Upper Primary
classes.
The data also reveals a
share of 10.49 percent
(Muslim enrolment) in
Elementary classes (I to
VIII) of which 49.20 percent
are the Muslim girls (to
total Muslim enrolment).
The enrolment data for the
year 2008-09 also reveals
that there are certain
pockets in the country which
has got high percentage of
Muslim enrolment. There are
about 87,690 schools
which has got more than
25 percent Muslim enrolment
(to total enrolment in
elementary classes) which is
6.84 percent of the total
schools that impart
elementary education in the
country. Similarly,
62,534 (4.88 percent)
schools have above 50
percent Muslim enrolment as
compared to 48,946 schools
(3.82 percent) having 75
percent and above and 41,300
schools (3.22 percent) even
having a share of 90 and
above Muslim enrolment to
total enrolment.
Because of the high percent
share of Muslim population
to total population in the
state, 12 districts of
Jammu and Kashmir
have got above 90 percent
Muslim enrolment in
2008-09 in Primary classes
which is also true for
enrolment in Upper Primary
classes. On the other hand,
25 districts in the country
have more than 50 percent
Muslim enrolment in Primary
classes in 2008-09 compared
to 20 such districts in case
of Upper Primary enrolment.
15 districts of Jammu and
Kashmir, 1 district each
from Bihar, West Bengal,
Andhra Pradesh,
Lakshadweep
and
Kerala and 5
districts of Assam have more
than 50 percent Muslim
enrolment in Primary
classes.
DISE 2008-09:
Teacher-Related Indicators
Availability of
teachers in schools is an
important variable for
quality education. The
total number of teachers
in 2008-09 suggests that
about 5.79 million teachers
are engaged in teaching in
schools imparting elementary
education in the country.
The data also shows
appointment of a large
number of teachers across
the country consequent to
the SSA interventions. The
all-India average reveals
that, on an average, there
were 4.5 teachers in a
school in 2008-09 that
imparts elementary education
compared to an average of
3.0 teachers per primary
school.
All schools
together had 43.46 percent
female teachers. Urban areas
had higher percentage of
female teachers than the
rural areas; this is true
for all school types.
Increase in the number of
teachers is also reflected
in the pupil-teacher ratio
which has shown consistent
improvement.
PTR,
both at primary and upper
primary levels, is quite
comfortable (primary, 34:1
and upper primary, 31:1).
There are about 538 thousand
para-teachers,
constituting 9.39 percent of
the total number of
teachers. About 54 percent
para-teachers
are Graduates and above.
DISE data reveals that
government is the main
employer of both Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes
teachers. The share of SC
and ST teachers together in
government schools is as
high as 80 percent.