Assam launches ‘Shiksha Yatra’ door-to-door survey to trace, track and mainstream out-of-school children

STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati: Samagra Shiksha, Assam has launched a comprehensive statewide survey, “Shiksha Yatra – From Challenges to Aspirations” to identify, track and mainstream Out-of-School Children (OoSC), dropouts and long-absent students. The survey will be conducted through door-to-door household visits in school catchment areas from 20 August to 23 September 2026, with the active participation of School Management Committees (SMCs), Education Volunteers, District Quality Managers and other field-level functionaries. According to the PLFS Survey 2025, an estimated 4,52,321 children in the 14–18 age group are out of school in Assam. The State has proposed support through open schooling for 5,273 children in F.Y. 2025–26 and 6,953 children in F.Y. 2026–27, highlighting the need for intensified efforts to identify and bring eligible children back into education.

The survey will particularly focus on 4,43,954 students absent for more than 45 days and 68,410 transitional dropouts who left school after Classes V, VIII and X. A total of 2,862 surveyors will be deployed, including 2,733 District Quality Managers and Education Volunteers associated with residential and non-residential Special Training Centres (STCs). The surveyors will be trained to use the Survey App for accurate identification, verification and data entry, a press release said.

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