28 Per Cent Students in Jammu Kashmir Drop Out After Secondary Level: Govt Data | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Nearly 28 per cent of students in Jammu and Kashmir are not transitioning from secondary to higher secondary level, highlighting a major retention challenge for the School Education Department despite improvements at lower stages, official figures show.

According to official data, the transition rate from secondary to higher secondary stands at 72.9 per cent, indicating that more than one in four students do not continue their education beyond Class 10.

However, the figures show significantly higher transition rates at earlier stages, with 94.8 per cent of students moving from primary to upper primary and 90.7 per cent transitioning from elementary to secondary levels.

The documents also state that the Gross Access Ratio remains above 98 per cent across all stages, reflecting widespread access to schooling in the Union Territory.

Literacy rates in Jammu and Kashmir have improved substantially over the decades, rising from 11.03 per cent in 1961 to 68.74 per cent in 2011, the figures reveal.

The data also highlights improvements in gender inclusion, with the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of girls exceeding overall averages. In 2024–25, the GER of girls stood at 114.5 at the primary level, 80.0 at the upper primary and 67.5 at the secondary level, reflecting the impact of schemes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.

Dropout rates have also declined considerably, falling to 1.5 per cent at the primary level, 3.2 per cent at the upper primary and 12.9 per cent at the secondary level.

Teachers said several socio-economic factors contribute to students discontinuing education after secondary level. One teacher said financial instability often forces students to leave school midway.

“Many students quit their studies to support their families financially or start their own businesses. Some continue their studies alongside work but do not attend classes regularly,” the teacher said.

Another teacher said the presence of Out of School Children (OoSC), including students from nomadic communities, also affects overall transition rates.

Earlier in 2025, the government said that around 46,000 Out of School Children had been mainstreamed into the education system.