Back to school drive: Jharkhand launches 'School Ruaar 2026' initiative; aims to lower dropout rates below 1% this year

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) on Thursday kicked off the statewide ‘School Ruaar 2026’, a 21-day intensive drive aimed at bringing out-of-school children back into the education system and further reducing dropout rates, particularly in upper grades.

Aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, the campaign focuses on universal enrolment, regular attendance and smooth transition of students across grades. While the state has achieved near-universal enrolment at the primary level, retaining students in higher classes is still a challenge.

Under the initiative, a door-to-door outreach programme involving teachers, anganwadi workers, volunteers and local representatives will be carried out to identify children who have dropped out, never enrolled, or are affected by migration and socio-economic challenges. Special emphasis will also be placed on enrolling children above the age of 5 and ensuring their uninterrupted progression to secondary education. Real-time monitoring will be carried out through the e-Vidyavahini system.

“Students should feel a sense of excitement and enthusiasm about going to school. Through this campaign, we are strengthening community participation and improving educational facilities so that every child not only enrols but also enjoys learning and completes their education,” Shashi Ranjan, state project director of JEPC, said.

Badal Raj, Ranchi district superintendent of education, said, “The dropout rate in Ranchi, which was around 9% earlier in 2024, has come down to about 3.5% in 2025, and our target this year is to bring it below 1%.”

Parents have welcomed the initiative. Sunita Devi, a resident of Namkum, said, “Teachers visiting our homes encourage us to send our children to school regularly. Such campaigns help families understand the importance of education, especially for children who dropped out due to financial difficulties.”