Centre to Track Failed Class 10 & 12 Students

In December 2025, Ministry of Education announced that from 2026, it will begin systematically tracking students who fail Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations and connect them with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) to support their re-entry into the education system.

Key Points

Policy Initiative: The Ministry of Education aims to mainstream out-of-school children and further reduce dropout rates through structured tracking and re-enrolment support.
Tracking Mechanism: Failed students will be identified using the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), the national database for school education.
NIOS Linkage: Identified student data will be shared with the National Institute of Open Schooling to facilitate follow-up, counselling, and enrolment.
Financial Support Under Review: The Centre is examining whether funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme can be used to cover NIOS fees, reducing financial barriers for re-admission.
Scale of the Issue: Government data shows that around 50 lakh students failed Class 10 and Class 12 examinations across all boards in 2024.
Dropout Trends: Despite steady improvement, dropouts remain a concern:
- Preparatory level: 5.1% to 2.3%
- Middle school: 3.8% to 3.5%
- Secondary level: 13.5% to 8.2%
  (2014-15 to 2023-24)
Role of Open Schooling: Strengthening open schooling is seen as critical for students needing flexibility due to work or personal responsibilities, while still aspiring to complete secondary education.