Varanasi’s enrolment percentage higher than pan India figure: ASER report
At 81.7%, the enrolment in Hathras was the lowest in northern India across all age groups. It was also below the national figure. Varanasi and Hathras are the only two Uttar Pradesh districts where the survey was conducted.
Varanasi district has a higher enrolment percentage at 91.2 among children in the 14-18 age bracket compared to the pan-India figure of 86.8%, according to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) released on Wednesday.
The survey was conducted in 28 districts across 26 states, covering 34,745 youngsters in the age group of 14-18 years. At 81.7%, the enrolment in Hathras was the lowest in northern India across all age groups. It was also below the national figure. Varanasi and Hathras are the only two Uttar Pradesh districts where the survey was conducted.
The ASER 2023 report titled “Beyond Basics”, led by Pratham Foundation, an education-focussed non-profit, puts the spotlight on youngsters aged 14 to 18 years in rural India. The last time this particular age group was covered in an ASER report was in 2017.
In Varanasi, 30.6% of the youngsters were enrolled in government institutions. With 8.8% not enrolled anywhere, this proportion was higher among 17-18-year-olds as compared to 14-16-year-olds. Among those aged 17-18 years, 16.8% males were not enrolled in any formal education institutions compared to 18.8% females. Additionally, 6.5% were enrolled in some form of vocational training and 44.2% were engaged in some work (other than household work) for at least 15 days in the month prior to the survey, the report said.
In Hathras, 27.7% of youngsters were enrolled in government institutions. Some 18.3% youth were not enrolled anywhere, and the proportion was higher among 17-18-year-olds as compared to 14-16-year-olds. Among those aged 17-18 years, 21.8% males were not enrolled in any formal education institution as compared to 31.9% females. Additionally, 5.9% were enrolled in some form of vocational training and 41.6% were engaged in some work (other than household work) for at least 15 days in the month prior to the survey.
A notable gender gap in enrolment is also visible, where more girls are not enrolled across age groups, according to the report.
Among those surveyed in Hathras, 15.7% boys and 14.4% girls of the district aspire to join the police force. In Varanasi, 14.1% girls want to join the police vis-a-vis 12% boys
Also, in Varanasi, 23.9% girls and 16.2% boys want to become doctors while in Hathras 13.5% girls and 7.8% boys wish to join this profession.
Besides,12.9% Varanasi girls and 12.7% Hathras boys wish to become teachers while 10.3% and 9.1% Hathras and Varanasi boys respectively want to join the armed forces
Most of the youngsters in Hathras and Varanasi are enrolled in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) stream, which is in contrast to the national picture according to which, in class 11 or higher, more than half are enrolled in the Arts and Humanities stream (55.7%), the report added.