Chandigarh education dept to survey ‘out of school’ kids from December 9
As per Rule 10 of the Right to Education Act, education department maintains a record of all children in the UT and data is collected through a household survey, from their birth till they attain the age of 14; the record is updated annually
The UT education department is set to start its annual survey to identify “out of school” children in the city from December 9 for the 2025-26 session. This is the first time that the teachers of the department of school education and Samagra Shiksha are conducting a joint door-to-door survey rather than individual surveys, which collects almost identical information.

As per Rule 10 of the Right to Education Act, education department maintains a record of all children in the UT and data is collected through a household survey, from their birth till they attain the age of 14. The record is updated annually.
The survey will cover mapping of all children from birth till age 18; and identification of non-literates of 15+ age group who were never enrolled in school.
This is being done to impart literacy skills to ensure that everyone is being covered under the formal education system. Identification of children in the age group of seven to 14 years is being done with focus on urban areas, such as railway station, bus stands, dhabas/eateries, construction sites, outside religious places and slum areas. It will include wards of aids patients/lepers and orphans housed at Snehalaya, Burail jail, Juvenile Justice Home, Nari Niketan and Ashiana, with special focus on girls.
Director school education Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar said, “Identification and mainstreaming out of school children will not only help to reduce inequality in education but also supports social cohesion, providing all children with equal opportunities for personal and academic growth.”
During the 2024-25 session, 3,160 students, including 2,167 who were never enrolled and 993 students who have dropped out, were identified for special training under non-residential special training centres. These identified children will be back to society at the end of academic session.
Mainstreaming of out of school children includes integrating kids who are not attending formal education into regular schools or education systems. The goal is to provide them with the opportunity to participate in structured learning environments, offering them a chance for social integration, academic progress, and personal development. As per the officials, the process often involves addressing various barriers such as socio-economic factors, disabilities, geographical location, and social or cultural challenges.
The joint survey will be coordinated directly by the director school education office and, as per officials, this will be cost and human resource efficient as it will reduce operational expenses by minimising the need for multiple teams to travel to the same locations, eventually saving time and reducing burden on respondents, among other benefits.