Statewide survey to trace out-of-school children, police help sought in every district
After a Pune police drive found 831 out-of-school children, the state has ordered a similar survey with police help in every district.
There is good news for children who have drifted away from school or dropped out. A special survey will be conducted across the state to trace out-of-school, irregular and migrant children and bring them back into mainstream education. The decision follows the success of a drive carried out in Pune city.
The Pune Police Commissionerate ran a tracing drive in June and July 2026, in which 831 out-of-school children were found in all. The police commissionerate has planned further action to get these children enrolled in school. Following the same approach, Primary Education Director Sharad Gosavi has now directed that this survey be carried out in every district of the state with the help of the police administration.
This survey is not actually a new arrangement. As per the School Education and Sports Department's government resolution dated 23 June 2022, a survey of out-of-school, irregular and migrant children has been carried out in the state before. Children found in the survey are enrolled in a nearby school in an effort to ensure their education continues without interruption. However, it has emerged that a large number of children are still found to be away from education for various reasons.
Reasons cited for children staying away from school include problems at home, the financial condition of parents and indifference towards education. Because of these reasons, some children do not enrol in school at all, while others do not attend regularly even after enrolling. Such children are often found wandering in places like city streets, railway stations and state transport (ST) bus stands.
For this reason, directions have now been issued for this survey to be completed in every district of the state with the cooperation of the police administration along with other government departments. The education director has appealed for whatever action is necessary to be taken so that not a single child is left deprived of education.
