Karnataka High Court seeks State response on children not attending schools; directs BBMP to conduct door- to-door survey

The Karnataka High Court recently directed the State government to respond to the alarming issue of large number of children dropping out of schools or not getting admitted to schools during COVID-19 pandemic..A Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice S Sanjay Gowda also said the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) may conduct a door-to-door survey of children in the age group of 0-18 in order to assess the number of children who are currently not going to schools."The State shall also respond on the very serious issue of large number of children either not attending the school or not even getting admitted to a school. Notice issued to BBMP is returnable on 24th August, 2021..... We may also clarify here that in any case, as per Sub Rule (1) of Rule (6) of Rules of 2012, the BBMP is under an obligation to carry out the survey of the children in the age group for 0 to 14 years. However, without awaiting the direction of the Court, BBMP may commence door to door survey of the children in the age group of 0 to 18 years," the order said..The Court was hearing a suo-motu petition based on media reports highlighting about large number of children dropping out of schools. .The Court was told that in an ongoing door-to-door survey conducted by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department of all the children in the age group of 0 to 18 years, it was revealed that 1,26,245 children in the age group of 3 to 6 years in rural areas are not going to school. Further, it was recorded that 33,344 children in the age group of 6 to 18 years are not going to school and 9,716 children have not enrolled in any school..The report dated July 26 submitted before the Karnataka High Court said that in urban areas, apart from Bengaluru city, 8,781 children in the age group of 6-18 years are not going to school.Further, the tentative data indicates that around 4800 children in urban areas have not enrolled in any school. .Senior Advocate KN Phaneendra appearing as Amicus Curiae, submitted that though the Karnataka Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2012 mandates conducting house-to-house survey for children in the age group of 0-14 years, the Rural Development and Panchayath Raj Department went one step ahead and conducted the survey of children in the age group of 0 to 18 years. .He pointed out that BBMP wants to conduct a 'house-to-house' survey of the children in the age group of 6 to 14 years who are out of school. On this aspect, the Court said, "The learned Senior counsel is right in submitting that the survey to be conducted by the BBMP should be as per the survey conducted by Rural Development and Panchayath Raj Department.".The matter will be next heard on August 24. .[Read order here]