Bihar: Government Schools Remove Names Of More Than 20 Lakh Students For Being Absent, More Than 1.5 Lakh Risk Missing Board Exams

Government schools in Bihar have recently removed over 20 lakh students from their enrollment lists due to prolonged absences, a move that has put more than 1.5 lakh students at risk of missing their board exams.

This decision, according to a report from The Indian Express, aims to optimise the efficient use of government resources, ensure that benefits are directed to deserving students, and combat potential mismanagement in the midday meal scheme.

However, teachers' associations have criticised the move as "arbitrary" and a violation of provisions under the Right to Education Act.

They intend to challenge this decision before the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights.

Over the past four months, the Bihar education department has been conducting inspections at government schools, instructing them to deregister students absent for varying durations.

Initially, students with a 30-day absence were removed, but this threshold was subsequently reduced to 15 days.

Ultimately, schools were permitted to strike off the names of students absent for three consecutive days without prior notification.

Based on data collected by the education department, more than 70,000 schools across 38 districts in Bihar have already removed the names of 20 lakh students enrolled in classes 1 to 12. Among these, over 1.5 lakh students are in classes 10 and 12.

According to the same report, the decision stems from concerns that some students are absent for extended periods due to being engaged in family businesses or agriculture.

There have also been cases of students simultaneously attending private schools while remaining on the rolls of government schools.

The government's aim is to cater to genuinely committed students and ensure that government benefits, scholarships, and meal schemes are directed exclusively to them.

Opponents of the move argue that the government should focus on encouraging students to attend school regularly instead of outright exclusion.

They maintain that this action disregards provisions in the Right to Education Act, which allows for the removal of a student's name only if they are enrolled in another school and have been absent for a significant duration.

These groups plan to challenge the government's decision before the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in collaboration with other associations.