Uttar Pradesh to launch state-wide household survey under SHARDA campaign to track out-of-school children

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday said a state-wide household survey will be conducted under the 'School Har Din Aaye Abhiyan' (SHARDA) to identify and reconnect children with formal schooling for the academic session 2025-26. The campaign will be implemented in a phased manner and will be closely monitored. The first phase of the survey will be conducted from July 1 to July 31, while the second phase will run from August 16 to September 15, 2025, an official statement said.

"The survey will cover all rural and urban households, including slums, brick kilns, mines, hotels, tribal regions, and migrant (nomadic) communities, to identify and enroll children aged 6 to 14 years," it said. According to the statement children who are considered dropouts include those kids who were never enrolled or have been absent for more than 30 cumulative days and scored less than 35 per cent in annual assessments or the NAT (National Achievement Test).

The statement said children identified during the survey will be enrolled in age-appropriate classes and given intensive, curriculum-based training at the school level. It further said the responsibility of conducting the survey lies with school-level teams consisting of headmasters, teachers, Shiksha Mitras, instructors, BTC trainees, volunteers from NGOs, and staff from other departments. Each school will distribute the areas under its jurisdiction such as localities, hamlets, or wards, among these teams to ensure complete coverage.

Condensed textbooks, learning material

The aim is to make sure no family is left out and every child's details are recorded on time, it said. "Around 15 days after enrollment, a baseline assessment will be conducted using the SHARDA app to gauge their learning levels. Subsequently, quarterly assessments will be conducted in October, January, and March 2026," it added. Condensed textbooks and essential learning materials will be provided.

Block-level trained nodal teachers and volunteers will be responsible for delivering this special training and guiding children as per the prescribed curriculum. It said that children from migrant families will be provided migration certificates to help them enroll at their new place of residence. "Teachers will also conduct regular home visits, follow-ups, and parent-teacher interactions to ensure consistent attendance and retention," it added.

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Focus on educational continuity

On linkage with social welfare schemes, the statement said, children from extremely poor families will be connected with relevant social welfare schemes of the social welfare department, labour department, and others. This initiative aims to bring stability and continuity in their education, it added. "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh government believes that education is not just a right, but a guarantee for every child's future," Sandeep Singh, Basic Education Minister, Uttar Pradesh, said.

"If a child cannot reach the school, then education must reach their doorstep. SHARDA-like campaigns are being run with this vision in mind," he said. Singh said the government has treated this campaign as a priority and prepared a concrete implementation plan. "Our goal is to ensure no child is left out of school and everyone gets equal access to quality education," he said. "This initiative will not only help reduce dropouts but will also push the state forward in the direction of educational inclusion," he added.