Correct Answer - Option 2 : of poverty and social discrimination
The Scheduled Castes, commonly known as Dalits, include those that were previously regarded as ‘outcastes’ in the Hindu social order and were subjected to exclusion and untouchability.
- Scheduled Castes were 16.2 per cent of the country’s population.
- Areas under the Fifth Schedule belong to nine major states of the western and central region extending from Maharashtra on the West to Jharkhand in the East.
There are several reasons why children from Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim communities leave school.
- In many parts of the country, especially in rural and poor areas, there may not even be proper schools nor teachers who teach on a regular basis.
- If a school is not close to people’s homes, and there is no transport like buses or vans, parents may not be willing to send their girls to school.
- Many families are too poor and unable to bear the cost of educating all their children.
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Boys may get preference in this situation.
- Many children also leave school because they are discriminated against by their teachers and classmates.
Thus from the above-mentioned points, it is clear that Dropout rates of Dalit and Adivasi girls are highest because of poverty and social discrimination.
- The government of India as well as the state governments of different states have implemented various developmental measures for the socio-economic upliftment of the Scheduled Castes.
- The government has rightly recognized the need for education, employment and economic upliftment of the Scheduled Castes for raising their quality of life in society.
