What is the Gujarat government's plan for the 3-day 'Shala Praveshotsav' drive?

Ahmedabad, June 24 (NationPress) The Gujarat administration is gearing up to initiate the annual ‘Shala Praveshotsav (School Enrollment Campaign) for the academic year 2025-26, scheduled to take place statewide from June 26 to 28.

This announcement was made by government spokesperson and Minister Rushikesh Ganeshbhai Patel, after a crucial Cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar.

This year's campaign will encompass all government primary schools, grant-in-aid secondary and higher secondary schools, alongside Gyan Shakti Residential Schools and Raksha Shakti Schools, highlighting the state's resolve towards ensuring universal access to education.

In this statewide initiative, over 400 senior government officials and ministers, including the Chief Minister himself, will actively engage in the campaign.

CM Bhupendra Patel plans to personally enroll students in Mahisagar on June 26, Gandhinagar on June 27, and Kutch on June 28.

Additionally, other senior ministers and officials will be dispatched across districts to manage enrollment activities, thereby ensuring a broad and inclusive outreach.

Minister Patel underscored the long-term benefits of the Shala Praveshotsav in diminishing school dropout rates.

In 2001–02, dropout rates were distressingly high, reaching 20.50 percent for students in Classes 1 to 5, and 37.22 percent for Classes 1 to 8.

Nonetheless, persistent efforts through initiatives like the Praveshotsav have reduced these figures to merely 1.07 percent and 2.42 percent, respectively, for the 2023–24 academic year.

The upcoming 2025–26 campaign aims to further this progress by focusing more on secondary and higher secondary enrollment, where dropout rates have historically posed more significant challenges.

The enrollment drive will also cater to admissions for children in Anganwadis, Balvatikas (pre-schools), Class 1, Class 9, and Class 11, ensuring a seamless transition from early childhood education to higher secondary education.

Each participating dignitary will be assigned one primary and two secondary or higher secondary schools, and in situations where such schools are scarce, Gyan Shakti or Raksha Shakti Schools will be selected based on geographic appropriateness.

Moreover, due to local celebrations such as the Rath Yatra and Kutchi New Year, enrollment activities in Kutch and certain urban regions will be coordinated accordingly, with events scheduled for June 26 and 28.

A significant innovation in recent years has been the integration of the state health department’s birth and immunization data with the education department’s Child Tracking System (CTS).

This integration, which initiated in 2019–20 for Class 1 and expanded to Balvatikas in 2023-24, guarantees that every eligible child is monitored and enrolled, including those of migrant workers.

Consequently, a comprehensive survey has identified around 8.75 lakh children eligible for Balvatika admissions, 10.5 lakh for Class 9, and 4.5 lakh for Class 11, who will be enrolled during this year's campaign.

Additionally, Gujarat is leveraging the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through the Vidya Samiksha Kendra to identify students at risk of dropping out.

By utilizing AI-based analysis of student performance and attendance data, the system flags vulnerable cases, enabling officials to invite such students and their parents for targeted counseling during the Praveshotsav.