Dropout rate of girl students has declined since 2014: Health Minister

NEW DELHI: The dropout rate of girls from schools saw a decline since 2014 while PG seats have almost doubled, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.

The minister credited the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government for this surge in the education sector. Interacting with the reporters outside Parliament, Mandaviya said the Modi government is trying to ensure that the country's need for doctors is fulfilled and children aspiring for medical education do not have to go abroad.

Also Read | MBBS, PG seats in Indian medical colleges see massive increase: Government

"The number of MBBS seats has recorded an increase of 87 per cent. Eight years ago, there were 53,000 seats, which have now grown to 96,000," Mandaviya said. In the same period, postgraduate medical seats have increased from 31,000 to 63,000, recording a 105 per cent increase, he said, adding that medical colleges have also increased from 387 in 2014 to 648 in 2022.

The minister said the new education policy (NEP) is being hailed across states and all sections of society. Even during COVID-19 a lot of initiatives were taken to ensure education is not hampered. One can read any book through the Diksha portal by scanning a Quick Response (QR) Code while students from classes 1 to 12 are also being taught through the Swayam Prabha TV channel.

Toilets have played an important role in curbing the dropout rate of girls in schools, Mandaviya said. "In 2.5 lakh schools over 4.5 lakh toilets were built as a result of which the dropout ratio has dipped from 17 per cent to 13 per cent," he added.