Odisha moves to curb school dropouts; authorities to visit homes of absentee students

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to curb school dropouts and protect children’s right to education, the Odisha government has directed school authorities to visit the homes of students who remain absent for a week or more.

Directive issued by Directorate of Elementary Education

The instruction has been issued by the Directorate of Elementary Education (DEE), Odisha, to all District Education Officers (DEOs) and Block Education Officers (BEOs). The move forms part of a child rights protection advisory aimed at ensuring continued school attendance.

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Mandatory home visits for prolonged absence

As per the directive, school authorities are required to conduct home visits for students who remain absent for one week or longer. The purpose of the visits is to ascertain the reasons for absence and take necessary remedial action to bring students back to school.

CAG report flags alarming dropout trends

The decision follows concerning findings in a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report tabled in the Odisha Assembly on December 9, 2025. The report revealed that Odisha’s transition rate from secondary to higher secondary education in 2022–23 was lower than the national average and showed negative growth compared to 2018–19.

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Data discrepancies and high dropout numbers

The CAG report also flagged anomalies, noting that transition rates from upper primary to secondary level in Bhadrak and Nuapada districts exceeded 100 percent in 2018–19, an impossibility indicating data inconsistencies.

Between 2018 and 2023, an estimated 1.50 lakh to 5.47 lakh students enrolled in Classes I to XI discontinued their education before reaching the next grade. During this period, dropout rates ranged between 3.12 percent and 7.26 percent across various classes.

Out-of-school children remain a concern

The report further stated that 61,487 children aged between 6 and 18 years could not be brought back into the formal education system during 2018–23.

Sharp rise in secondary-level dropouts

In 2022–23 alone, the dropout rate at the secondary level rose sharply to 17.7 percent, marking an 86 percent increase compared to 2018–19.

Key reasons behind dropouts

According to the findings, unwillingness to continue studies emerged as the leading cause, cited by 132 of 341 respondents (39 percent). Poverty and poor financial conditions of parents were identified by 93 respondents (27 percent) as a major factor. Early marriage accounted for dropout in 32 cases (9 percent).

The state government hopes that proactive monitoring and direct engagement with families will help reverse the worrying dropout trend and ensure better educational outcomes for children across Odisha.