Mysuru: Despite several government schemes aimed at providing free education and hostel facilities, the dropout rate among Scheduled Tribe (ST) students pursuing higher education in Mysuru district has increased significantly, with nearly 17.5 per cent of students enrolled in government first grade colleges discontinuing their studies.

According to the latest figures, 3,434 ST students have enrolled in various degree courses at government first grade colleges across Mysuru district. Of these, 602 students have discontinued their education.

Girls constitute a larger share of the dropouts. Of the 602 students who left their degree courses, 348 were female students, accounting for more than half of the total number.

The figures were provided by ST Welfare Minister T Raghumurthy in response to a question raised by MLC K Abdul Jabbar. The data also highlights that the challenge extends beyond higher education, with ST children dropping out at the school level as well.

School-level dropouts also reported

A total of 62 ST children discontinued their education in primary and secondary schools in Mysuru district, according to the data.

The figures indicate that educational discontinuation among tribal children begins much earlier for a section of the community, particularly those living in remote and forest-based settlements.

The situation is not limited to Mysuru. Neighbouring districts have also recorded ST student dropouts at different levels of education.

In Chamarajanagar district, 101 ST students dropped out, including 38 girls. Kodagu recorded 60 dropouts among degree students, of whom 33 were girls.

The figures have raised concerns over the effectiveness of existing measures designed to encourage tribal children to remain in the formal education system.

Higher education remains out of reach for many

DC Nanjunda, associate professor at the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at the University of Mysore, said the available figures may not represent the full extent of the problem.

He pointed out that only a small proportion of children from tribal communities progress to government degree colleges.

According to Nanjunda, students from the Nayaka community form a significant portion of the ST students who pursue higher education, while many children from forest-based tribal communities leave the education system much earlier.

“Among ST communities, very few tribal children progress to government degree colleges. It is mainly students from the Nayaka community who pursue higher education. A majority of forest-based tribal children drop out much earlier, often at the primary school level itself,” he said.

This means that the relatively high dropout rate recorded among students already enrolled in degree courses could represent only one part of a much larger educational challenge.

A substantial number of tribal children may never reach higher education in the first place.

Social and economic barriers affect retention

Nanjunda said the key challenge is not merely providing admission opportunities but ensuring that children enter the education system and remain in it.

Tribal settlements often lack an academic environment that encourages children to continue their education, he said.

The absence of educational support at home and difficulties associated with living in remote hamlets can make it harder for students to sustain their studies.

Social prejudices and other challenges can further affect children’s educational journeys, particularly as they reach adolescence.

“The real challenge is bringing children into the education system and retaining them,” Nanjunda said.

He added that in tribal hamlets, the lack of an academic environment, combined with social prejudices and other difficulties, often results in children discontinuing their education after reaching adolescence.

Girls account for a significant share

The higher number of female dropouts is another concern emerging from the figures.

In Mysuru, 348 of the 602 ST students who discontinued degree courses were girls. This means female students accounted for nearly 58 per cent of the reported higher-education dropouts in the district.

Similarly, girls represented a substantial proportion of dropouts in neighbouring districts. In Chamarajanagar, 38 of the 101 ST students who discontinued their education were girls, while in Kodagu, 33 of the 60 degree-level dropouts were female students.

The figures point to the need for closer examination of the factors affecting the continuation of education among tribal girls.

Access to suitable accommodation, transportation, financial assistance, academic support and a safe educational environment can all influence whether students remain in school or college.

Government schemes yet to address wider challenge

The increase in dropouts comes despite government initiatives intended to improve access to education for ST communities.

Free education and hostel facilities are among the measures introduced to reduce financial and logistical barriers for tribal students.

However, the data suggests that providing facilities alone may not be sufficient to ensure educational retention.

For children living in remote tribal settlements, the barriers can begin before they reach the stage of applying for higher education. Poor access to schools, lack of academic support and social and family circumstances can contribute to students leaving education at an early age.

By the time students reach degree colleges, those who have managed to remain in the education system may represent only a fraction of the wider tribal student population.

Need to focus on retention and early intervention

Education experts believe that addressing dropout rates requires interventions at multiple stages rather than concentrating only on college-level enrolment.

Identifying students at risk of dropping out, strengthening academic support in tribal areas and ensuring better access to residential facilities could help improve retention.

Special attention may also be required for students transitioning from primary to secondary education and from school to college, as these stages can determine whether tribal children continue their studies.

The Mysuru figures, along with the data from Chamarajanagar and Kodagu, underline the need for a closer assessment of why students leave education despite government support.

As Nanjunda pointed out, the seriousness of the issue may be considerably greater than the available data indicates because official dropout figures largely capture students who have already entered the formal education system.

Ensuring that more tribal children enter schools, remain there through adolescence and eventually progress to higher education will therefore remain a key challenge for the government and educational institutions.