Bihar tops schoolgirl drop-out chart
Hindu, August 15, 2006

New Delhi, Aug. 14 (PTI): The number of schoolgirls quitting class
before crossing the secondary level is the highest in Bihar followed
by West Bengal, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

The dropout rate for schoolgirls in Bihar is 85.36 per cent up to
Class X and 79.62 up to Class VIII, Minister of State for HRD M A A
Fatmi said in a written reply.

In West Bengal, 84.44 per cent of schoolgirls quit class before
crossing the secondary level, according to a state-wise chart the
Minister presented to the House on drop-out rates.

Meghalaya, however, had the highest dropout rate for both male and
female schoolchildren up to Class X. According to the 2003-04 chart,
the northeastern state recorded 83.24 per cent of its schoolchidren
dropping out before passing the secondary stage.

The statistics showed Kerala having the lowest dropout rate of 8.58
per cent for both male and female students up to Class X.

The state's dropout rate for the elementary level stood at -9.54 per cent.