Over 30% students of secondary level in Odisha not able to make transition to higher level: CAG

Odisha has recorded a sharp decline in gross enrollment ration (GER) during transition of students from secondary to higher secondary level, says report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, which was tabled in Odisha Legislative Assembly here on Tuesday (December 9, 2025).

“The transition rate in secondary to higher secondary was only 70.3%, indicating that approximately 30% of the students were not able to make the transition to higher classes, either due to dropping out of school or due to not qualifying for promotion to the next level,” says CAG which carried out a performance audit of State’s education sector.

Ironically the GER in secondary and higher secondary levels declined in the State compared to increase at the national level during 2022-23 over 2018-19, so did the Net Enrolment Rate (NER) compared to the national level, the reasons for which had not been analysed by the Department, the apex audit agency points out.

According to CAG, the transition rate from secondary to higher secondary level was less than the national rate in 2022-23 and the transition rates in the said level of education had registered negative growth in 2022-23 as compared to 2018-19.

Besides, the recorded transition rate from upper primary to secondary in 2018-19 for Bhadrak and Nuapada districts was more than 100%, which was not possible.

Statistically, during 2018-23, 1.50 lakh to 5.47 lakh children enrolled in Classes I to XI, discontinued education before reaching the immediate higher class and the percentage of dropout across the classes ranged from 3.12 to 7.26%.

Besides, 61,487 out of school children, between the age group of 6 to 18 years, had not been brought back into the school education system during 2018-23

“The reasons for such decline in NER had not been analysed by Odisha State Education Programme Authority (OSEPA). However, ineffective measures to arrest the dropout of students during the transition from upper primary to secondary as well as inadequate school infrastructure and facilities were the indicative reasons for decline in NER,” the CAG says.

Data indicated that in 2022-23, at secondary level, the State witnessed increased dropout rate at 17.7%. The dropout rate in secondary level increased by 86% over 2018-19.

The high dropout in Odisha school was attributed to unwillingness to study as 132 out of 341 39% respondents stated that the students dropped or discontinued studies due to unwillingness to pursue education further.

Parents’ poor financial position or poverty also played a role in dropout with 93 out of 341 (27%) respondents stating that the students dropped out of further education due to poverty. As many as 32 out of 341 (9%) respondents dropped/ discontinued studies due to marriage.