[VOLUME 5 I ISSUE 4 I OCT. – DEC.

2018] e ISSN 2348 –1269, Print ISSN 2349-5138

[Link] Cosmos Impact Factor 4.236

DROPOUT IN PRIMARY EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF ODISHA

Chinmayee Mohanty
Research Scholar, Centre For the study of Social System, Jawaharlal Nehru University,
New Delhi-110067

Received: August 22, 2018 Accepted: October 17, 2018

ABSTRACT Dropout in primary education is not a new issue. Although many Government policy and plan has
been implemented to universalise Primary education for the children between the age group 6-14, the situation become
gloomy in many states of India. Achieving universal primary education is becoming critical if rates of dropout are
increase. In many countries children attend to primary school in greater numbers at the beginning but their number
decline in the completion of primary school. Many children have dropped out without the completion of primary
schooling. Studies have shown that inequality of opportunities of children in primary education in the form of caste, class
and gender. This article throws light on the problem of Dropout in primary education of Odisha. Though Odisha is not
under developed in primary education but progress in this section is still waiting. The real problem lies behind the silver
lining. There are many region in KBK districts of Odisha lack primary education. This research paper is based on
secondary data sources of DISE.
Keywords: Dropout, Education, Primary School

Introduction
India has been taking a lot of initiatives to universalize elementary education. In 1976 the 42nd
constitutional amendment has brought education in the concurrent list, i.e. education is shared by the state
and the centre. Article 45 of the Constitution declared that “the state shall endeavour to provide, within a
period of ten years from the commencement of this constitution, for free and compulsory education for all
children until the age of fourteen” (Kumar and Rustagi 2010:1 cited by Mohanty, 2017). In 2002,
Government of India declared education as the fundamental right through the 86th constitutional
amendment. To universalise elementary education, government has implemented many plans, policies and
programmes: such as the Five year plans, 1968 National Policy on Education (NPE), and then revised 1992
National Policy on Education (GOI 2013 cited by Mohanty, 2017).
The revised National Policy on Education, 1992 is a landmarks in education. It emphasis on universalizing
elementary education by providing universal access and universal retention of children up to 14 years of age
and a substantial improvement in the quality of education (NPE, 1992). Despite some improvement in
elementary education level, Dropout have been persisting in elementary [Link] among
regions, castes, classes and gender are the major causes of [Link] this context Illich noted that a good
educational institution has three purposes, access of education to those who want to learn; empowers all
who want to share what they know; present their issues to the public with the opportunity to make their
challenge known (Illich, 1984). So Illich emphasises on equal access of opportunity to all the
studentirrespective of caste, class and gender.
Background of the study
This study is taking Odisha as the case study to know the status of elementary [Link] it is evident that
education is considered as the prime ingredient of social development. According to 2011 census the
population of Odisha comprises of 41947358 in compare to the population of India that is 1210193422.
Literacy rate is one of the indicators to determine the progress of the country. According to 2011 census, the
highest literate state is Kerala (with 93.91 Percent literacy) and the lowest literacy rate is noticed in Bihar
(63.82 Percent). Although Odisha has not come under the lowest literate state, the literacy rate in Odisha is
73.45 Percent which is marginally behind the literacy rate of India that is 74.04% and the male literacy rate
is 82.40 Percent and the female literacy is 64.36 Percent. The male literacy rate of Odisha is more than the
national literacy average of male (80%) (GOI 2011).
Regarding the scenario of dropout in Odisha it has been seen inequality in the dropout rate of [Link] both
primary and upper primary level there has been seen a greater difference in the dropout. The human
development report of Orissa (2004) has stated that in Orissa the dropout rate is42% at primary and 57%
are in upper primary level. But if we see the gender aspect of Odisha the report has evident that the girl
dropout is a little bit higher in case of upperprimary. The report has also seen that from the period of 1973
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to 2001, the dropout rate has been lower in primary that is 75.3% for boys and 81% for girls in 1973 to
42.3% and 41.4% in 2000-01. Likewise at the upper primary there is high rate of dropout. It has been
declined from 84.2% and 90.2% for boys and girls in 1973 to 70.9% and 77.1% in 2000-01. National Family
Health Survey-2 has also found that dropout rate is high among girls because girl has taken double burden.
They have to do household work more than the boys (Human Development Report of Orissa 2004). This
study in particular has taken the overall dropout rate of Odisha.
Objectives and Research Methodology
This study is based on the two objectives. First to analyse the district wise trend of dropout in Odisha and to
know which region has a high dropout rate.
For calculating dropout rate, DISE data has been used in this study and the method used in the Arun C. Mehta
article On ‘Drop-out rate at primary level: A note based on DISE 2003-04 & 2004-05 Data’. For calculatingthe
dropout rate, two cohort periods have been taken. In this study the following methods has been used to find
out dropout rate.
1. Grade to grade transition rate or flow rates.
2. Average promotion, repetition and dropout rate.
Mehta noted that Grade to grade transition rate or flow rate has taken three compile analyses for study such
as promotion rate, repetition rate and dropout rate. This flow rates helps to know at which grade dropout
and repeaters are high and also in whom the number of dropout is high, boys or girls. So with the help of
repeaters and enrolment, the number of promoters, repeaters and dropout has been obtained. Promoter
refers to the number of children promoted from one class to next class. Repeaters indicates the number of
children repeated in the same class in the next year and dropout refers to the number of children leave
school without completing the cycle of primary level. If the repeater is not taken, promotion rate is
considered as the grade ratio, then it becomes a crude indicator. To calculate flow rate the following set of
data has beenused at the primary level.
Grade specific enrolment of grade I to VI of two consecutive years and Grade specific repeaters for grade I to
VI of the latest year.
By using grade to grade enrolment of two years of data and repeaters of the current
Year, repetition rate, promotion rate and dropout rate has found.
𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑔+1 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑕𝑒 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡+1
Promotion rate= ˟100
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡

𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎 𝑟 𝑡+1

Repetition rate= 𝑔 ˟100
𝐸𝑡

𝑔
𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐸𝑡 refers to total number of students enrolled in grade g in year t.
𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡
Dropout rate= ˟100
𝐸𝑔𝑡

This formula has taken from Arun C. Mehta’s computation of dropout rate at primary level. He has used DISE
data between the period of 2003-04 and 2004-05 for study. So the promotion in a grade is obtained by
subtracting repeaters from the enrolment in subsequent grade of the following year. And the number of
dropout is obtained from subtracting repeaters and promotes from enrolment of a particular grade. Taking
enrolment and repeaters in Grade I, II, III, IV,V and VI in a year is denoted as
𝐸1 𝐸2 𝐸3 𝐸4 𝐸5 𝐸6 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅5 𝑅6respectively. The following Table-1 shows the details-

Table-1-Arun C. Mehta article on Drop-out rate at primary level: A note based on DISE Data2003-04 &
2004-05
Calculation of Average Flow Rates
Parameter GRADES
Enrolment in first year ‘t’, say 2003 𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼𝐼 𝐸𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝐸𝐼𝑉 𝐸𝑉 𝐸𝑉𝐼
Enrolment in second year ‘t+1’ say 2004 𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼𝐼 𝐸𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝐸𝐼𝑉 𝐸𝑉 𝐸𝑉𝐼
Number of Repeaters in year ‘t+1’, say 2004 𝑅𝐼 𝑅𝐼𝐼 𝑅𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝑅𝐼𝑉 𝑅𝑉 𝑅𝑉𝐼
Number of students Promoted, in year ‘t’, 2003 𝑃𝐼 𝑃𝐼𝐼 𝑃𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝑃𝐼𝑉 𝑃𝑉 𝑃𝑉𝐼
Number of Drop-out children in year ‘t’, 2004 𝐷𝐼 𝐷𝐼𝐼 𝐷𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝐷𝐼𝑉 𝐷𝑉 𝐷𝑉𝐼

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[Link] Cosmos Impact Factor 4.236
The average of all three (promotion, repetition and dropout) rate is calculated by this formula.

Average repetition rate

𝑅𝐼 +𝑅𝐼𝐼 +𝑅𝐼𝐼𝐼+𝑅𝐼𝑉 +𝑅𝑉 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡 + 1
˟100
𝐸𝐼 + 𝐸𝐼𝐼 + 𝐸𝐼𝐼𝐼 + 𝐸𝐼𝑉 +𝐸𝑉 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡 + 1

Average promotion rate

𝑃𝐼 + 𝑃𝐼𝐼 + 𝑃𝐼𝐼𝐼 + 𝑃𝐼𝑉 + 𝑃𝑉 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡 + 1
˟100
𝐸𝐼 + 𝐸𝐼𝐼 + 𝐸𝐼𝐼𝐼 +𝐸𝐼𝑉 + 𝐸𝑉 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡 + 1
Average dropout rate= {100- [(i) + (ii)]}
Findings
Table-2 Dropout rate at primary level in three period of time
Dropout rate at primary level in Three period of time
District 2003-04 2010-11 Change 2010-11 2014-15 Change
Angul NA 7.2 7.2 1.6 -5.6
Bolangir 6 3.9 -1.7 3.9 1.48 -2.5
Balasore 10 4.2 -5.4 4.2 NA NA
Boudh 9 4.4 -4.5 4.4 2.63 -1.8
Bargarh 8 NA NA 3.15 NA
Bhadrak 5 6.7 1.4 6.7 3.96 -2.7
Cuttack 4 NA NA NA NA
Deoagarh 14 5.4 -8.3 5.4 4.56 -0.8
Dhenkanal 9 6.7 -2.0 6.7 1.64 -5.0
Gajapati 9 8.7 -0.2 8.7 6.94 -1.7
Ganjam 6 4.1 -1.5 4.1 3.09 -1.0
Jagatsinghpur 2 8.0 6.3 8.0 0.9 -7.1
Jajpur NA 7.1 7.1 1.48 -5.6
Jharsuguda 1 4.6 3.6 4.6 2.4 -2.2
Kalahandi 20 2.0 -17.6 2.0 4.82 2.9
Kandhamal 16 8.3 -7.4 8.3 6.06 -2.2
Kendrapara 8 5.8 -2.3 5.8 1.21 -4.6
Keonjhar 14 11.6 -2.2 11.6 4.69 -6.9
Khordha 0 NA NA NA NA
Koraput 13 12.6 -0.2 12.6 10.04 -2.6
Malkangiri 16 8.0 -8.0 8.0 9.21 1.2
Mayurbhanj 20 6.5 -13.1 6.5 4.14 -2.4
Nabarangpur 19 8.6 -9.9 8.6 5.53 -3.0
Nayagarh 10 6.2 -3.5 6.2 0.69 -5.5
Sambalpur 28 6.4 -21.9 6.4 1.87 -4.6
Sonepur 1 2.3 1.8 2.3 2.21 -0.1
Sundergarh 4 NA NA 3.86 NA
Nuapada 14 4.4 -9.4 4.4 1.81 -2.6
Puri 3 4.2 0.8 4.2 NA NA
Rayagada 10 7.9 -2.4 7.9 10.14 2.2
Source: Calculated from DISE data
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Note: 2003-04 and 2010-11 is calculated from district Report Card, DISE data. And the period 2014-15
istaken from the District report card 2014-15, DISE.
Table 2 shows the pattern of dropout in the interval of the years like 2003-04, 2010-11 and 2014-15 and the
changes occurred in the dropout rate in the districts of Odisha. In the period 2003-04 the dropout rate of
Kalahandi (20%), Sambalpur (28%), Mayurbhanj (20%), Nabarangpur (19%), Malkangiri (16%) and
Kandhamal (16%) district was high. Whereas districts like Sonepur, Jharsuguda and Puri have seen a decline
in dropout rates. It is 1 percent, 1 percent and 3 percent respectively in these districts. Both of the districts
are lower than Orissa average which is 38.19Percent. But the data shows that the average of Od isha is higher
than the average of India in 2003-04. In 2010-11 some other states have increased in dropout rate such as
Gajapati (8.7%), Jagatsinghpur (8%), Koraput (12.6%), Keonjhar (11.6%), and Kandhamal (8.3%). Their
average is higher than the average of Odisha (7.0%) and also India (27%). The same time a lower rate of
dropout has been seen in the districts of Bolangir (3.9%), Balasore (4.2%), Boudh (4.4%), Ganjam (4.1%),
Kalahandi (2.0%), and Sonepur (2.3%) which is less than 5% in each case. In the analysis of two periods of
time it has been seen that the dropout rate of the district of Jagatsinghpur and Jharsududa has increased by
6.3 Percent and 3.6percent. Although Jagatsinghpur is not high in dropout rate in their respective year but
changes have been seen over the two periods of time. Jharsuguda in 2003-04 is one with the lowest dropout
rate. It was only 1percent but it has increase to 3.6percent in 2010-11 and also Bhadrak, Sonepur and Puri
has increased in dropout rate but in a very small proportion. The table also shows that the dropout rate of
Odisha has declined from 38.19percent in 2003 to 7Percent in 2010 which is lower than national average in
2010. In the year 2014-15 there is huge decline in the dropout rates in all the districts of Odisha. This shows
that in Odisha there is wide awareness in controlling the dropout rate at primary level.
This district wise study is important. Because it shows that there are variations within a state, and certain
districts are in a better position than others. In future this would allow for research to be focused on specific
districts to evaluate what are the issues that are specific to them.
Figure-1 Region wise dropout rate at primary Level, 2010-11

Figure-2 Region wise dropout rate at primary level. 2014-15

In figure-1 northern, southern and coastal regions has high percentage of dropouts. But gradually it has
decreased and it is shown in Figure-2. As we know the coastal region are more developed in comparison to
southern and northern region in infrastructure facilities. The figure shows region wise pattern of dropout in
2014-15. Although no wide difference has been seen among the three regions of Odisha in dropout rate, but
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[Link] Cosmos Impact Factor 4.236
some differences have been seen. A high dropout has been found from southern region which is
5.33Percent;northern region has 3.1 Percent of dropouts where as in coastal region the dropout rate is very
low i.e. 1.65 Percent. From this study it may be assumed that backward region has high dropout rate.
Regarding this a study conducted by Sen et al.(2008) foundthat there is a wide gap in Net Enrolment Ratio
(NER) between primary and upper primary levels. It infers that children enrolled in primary school are not
completing this level of education. Among the three regions, coastal districts are preferably less dropout in
compared to northern and southern regions. Sen et al study also noted that the largest gap is in southern
region.
Vaidyanathan and Nair (2001) conducted a study and revealed that the region which is educationally
backward has greater social and gender inequality. Still in many states region matters with regard to the
dropout of child, as certain facilities and structures may be region specific.
The northern and southern regions of Odisha are hilly areas where the distance of school may be one of the
factors with regard to increased dropout. On this perspective Colclough [Link] (2000) has also viewed that
distance is one of the factors of dropout (Sabates et al. 2010). Similarly Chadzuka (2008) has viewed that
children are not interested to walk many kilometres from their home. It may be a burden for them, instead of
walking to the distant school, they stop going to school. Okumu et al (2008) has reported the distance of
school influences the dropout of the pupil, the more thedistance, the higher dropout rate at primary level. It
happens more in rural areas than in urban areas.
Tilak (1996) has studied that a regional disparity exists in the country. In providing education facilities
urban schools are advanced in comparison to rural schools. Free primary education is provided more in
urban areas than rural areas. The urban student receives tuition fee and scholarships for the study and also
transportation facilities. The transportation facilities are provided to the scheduled tribes living in urban
areas (Tilak, 1996). But most of the children living in rural areas face the problem of distance to the school. It
is one of the reasons contributing to the dropout of the girl child in rural areas. Study also shows that
although the level of household expenditure on tuition and examination fee is approximately same in both
Rural and urban areas but there is some discrimination in other facilities (Tilak, 1996). According the table 3
in the year 2010-11, it has been see that Koraput is the highest in the dropout rate while Sonpur is the
lowest one in the dropout of children in Odisha. It needs to be studied dropout over a period of time. These
two districts are analysed here.
Table-3 Trend of Dropout in Koraput and Sonpur District
Trend of dropout at primary level in three period of times
District 2003-04 2007-08 2010-11 2014-15
Koraput 13 10 12.6 10.04
Sonpur 1 0.4 2.3 2.21
Odisha NA 3.49 5.37 2.86
India 31.5 8.02 6.50 4.13
Source: Calculated from DISE data, Odisha and India data taken from Flash statistics, DISE data
The Table 3 shows the trend of dropout in Koraput and Sonpurdistrict in three periods of time. It
shows Koraput is higher in dropout rate and Sonpur is lower in dropout rate. In the period 2003 -04 the
dropout rate of Koraput is 13per cent and Sonpur is 1percent. In 2007-08 the dropout rate of Koraput has
decreased to 10per cent where asSonpur decrease to 0.4per cent. In 2010-11 the dropout rate of Koraput
again increased to approximately 13per cent and also Sonpur has increased to 2.3per cent. In 2007-08
thedropout of Koraput is lower than the average of Odisha(23.19%) as well as India(25.09%). And in 2010
the dropout rate of Koraput(12.6%) is more than the average rate of Odisha(7%). It concluded that when
the average rate of dropout rate of Odisha has decreased to 7per cent, the dropout rate of Koraput district
has increased to 12.6per cent. One of the interesting finding is both Koraput and Sonpur belongs to the
southern region, but the dropout rate is high in Koraput and very low in Sonpur. In 2014-15 the dropout
rates at primary level of Koraput have declined to 10.04 and at Sonpur there is decline rate but is almost
negligible. But overall dropout rates at primary level of Odisha and India has achieved positive point. Earlier
in 2003-04, 2007-08, 2010-11 the primary level dropout rate in Odisha has declined to 2.86. In the year
2003-04, India had 31.5% dropout rate but in the year 2014-15 the dropout rate has declined to 4.13 which
gives a positive outcome at primary level education system.

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CONCLUSION
Looking at the level of educational status in Odisha it can be said that there is lot left to be achieved yet.
Regarding intra state dropout in three periods of time (2003-04, 2010-11 and 2014-15), it has been found
that the overall dropout rate of Odisha has been declined. Taking the three region of Odisha such as Southern
region, Northern Region and Coastal Region, the dropout rate has lowered in coastal region and highest in
Northern region. The reason may be the backwardness of northern region, distance of school due to hilly
areas and so on. In the trends of dropout in the two districts of Odisha such as Koraput and Sonpur it has
been seen that although both the district belong to the same region that is southern region, Koraput has
highest dropout rate in compare to Sonpur. This problem needs to be addressed.
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