Missing from the classroom: 7.6 lakh Punjab and Haryana teenagers

Delhi has 1,51,649 out-of-school children in the age group, including 1,10,669 boys and 40,980 girls.

Himachal Pradesh reported 64,055 children not attending school; of these, 29,795 are boys, and 34,260 are girls. The PLFS 2023-24 estimates the total population in this age group in the state at 2,94,037 boys and 2,56,680 girls.

Jammu and Kashmir has 85,785 out-of-school children, comprising 36,935 boys and 48,850 girls.
Chandigarh reported 8,596 out-of-school children, including 2,033 boys and 6,563 girls, while Ladakh recorded the lowest number in the region, with 2,236 children not attending school, including 1,763 boys and 473 girls.

Overall, the northern region accounts for 28,19,966 children, 14,37,229 boys and 13,82,737 girls, aged 14-18 years, not attending school

A senior officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said, “The states and Union Territories covered under the Northern Zonal Council include Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Delhi and Chandigarh. There is a need to bring down these figures.”
The officer said, “The new PLFS Survey is scheduled to be held in the coming months.”

Officials said the data, drawn from PLFS 2023-24, was discussed for measures to reduce school dropout rates and improve school attendance across the northern states and Union Territories.
The figures, they said, would help governments identify vulnerable groups and formulate targeted interventions to bring out-of-school children back into the education system.