Student strength in Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare schools drops sharply over a decade

The strength of students in schools managed by the Department of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare in Tamil Nadu has witnessed a sharp decline over the last 10 years.

The Department currently runs 1,138 Adi Dravidar Welfare schools across the State, including 833 primary schools, 99 middle schools, 108 high schools, and 98 higher secondary schools. In addition, it operates 320 Government Tribal Residential Schools, comprising 212 primary, 49 middle, 31 high, and 28 higher secondary schools, equipped with food and lodging facilities.

According to official data for the academic year 2024-25, the total student strength in Adi Dravidar Welfare schools stood at 77,383. A decade earlier, in the academic year 2014-15, these schools had 1,23,147 students. This reflects a 37.16% drop over ten years.

A similar trend was seen in Government Tribal Residential Schools. In 2014-15, the total student strength was 30,933. By 2024-25, this number had dropped to 24,439 – a decline of nearly 21%.

Together, these schools had a total strength of 1.23 lakh students in 2021- 22. This declined to 1.14 lakh in 2022-23, 1.06 lakh in 2023–24, and 1.01 lakh in 2024–25. As of June 25 this academic year, enrollment stood at 98,124 in these schools.

When contacted, officials acknowledged the significant reduction in strength and attributed it to various factors including migration of families to urban areas and increasing preference for private schools. However, they denied that the fall was due to poor infrastructure or teacher shortages.

Since 2021, the Department has spent ₹400.93 crore on infrastructure upgrades, including the establishment of 119 smart classrooms, 174 smart boards, and 206 high-tech laboratories in these schools. Of the 4,938 sanctioned teacher posts, 4,003 are filled through regular appointment, while 729 are filled through school management committees. Steps are being taken to fill the remaining posts, officials added.