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India to Track Failed Class 10, 12 Students from 2026 for Counselling & Open Schooling

The Ministry of Education will systematically track students failing Class 10 and 12 board exams from 2026, sharing data with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) for proactive outreach. This initiative aims to mainstream an estimated 50 lakh out-of-school children by offering counselling and a flexible open-schooling route. The Centre is examining using Samagra Shiksha funds to cover NIOS fees, reducing financial barriers for re-admission. This effort supports the National Education Policy's core objective of achieving 100% student retention through secondary education.

Key Points: Centre to Track Failed Students, Offer NIOS Route from 2026

  • Track failed students via UDISE
  • Link to NIOS for re-admission
  • Use Samagra Shiksha funds for fees
  • Aim for 100% retention till Class 12
2 min read

Centre to track failed Class 10, 12 students from 2026; offer counselling, open-schooling route

MoE to track 50 lakh failed Class 10 & 12 students via UDISE from 2026, linking them to NIOS for re-admission and counselling to boost retention.

"From 2026, we will start tracking all students who fail... to be proactively reached out to and brought back into the mainstream. - Sanjay Kumar, DoSEL Secretary"

By Vishu Adhana, New Delhi, December 24

The Ministry of Education will begin systematically tracking students who fail Class 10 and Class 12 examinations from 2026 and link them with the National Institute of Open Schooling for re-admission, in an effort to mainstream out-of-school children.

The Centre is examining whether Samagra Shiksha funds given to states can be used to cover NIOS fees to help mainstream out-of-school children.

The cumulative number of failed students in Class X and XII across all boards in 2024 was 50 Lakh.

Sanjay Kumar, Secretary for the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL) said that there is a need to strengthen open schooling to give a chance for re-admission to dropout and failed students.

"From 2026, we will start tracking all students who fail Class 10 and Class 12 examinations. The data will be shared with NIOS so that these students can be proactively reached out to and brought back into the mainstream education system," Kumar said.

The tracking would be done through Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), the official national database for school education in India.

"We provide funds to states under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. We are examining whether an amount equivalent to the NIOS fees can be provided to help streamline and mainstream out-of-school children," he added.

Another key concern for the Ministry is student dropouts. While dropout rates have declined over the past decade, the Centre continues to aim for 100 per cent retention till Class 12.

Preparatory-level dropouts fell from 5.1 per cent to 2.3 per cent, middle-school dropouts from 3.8 per cent to 3.5 per cent, and secondary-level dropouts from 13.5 per cent to 8.2 per cent between 2014-15 and 2023-24.

"The core objective of the National Education Policy is to ensure 100 per cent retention till Class 12, so that every child who enters the schooling system continues at least up to secondary education," Sanjay Kumar added.

"This is why strengthening the open schooling system is critical. There are many students who need to work but also want to continue their education, and open schooling provides that flexibility," the secretary added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good initiative, but the real problem is *why* they are failing in the first place. We need to improve teaching quality and support in regular schools. Prevention is better than cure, na?
A
Aditya G
Using Samagra Shiksha funds for NIOS fees is a smart use of resources. Hope the tracking system works on the ground. Often these schemes get lost in bureaucracy.
S
Sarah B
The dropout rate reduction data is encouraging. Shows some progress. This proactive approach to bring students back is exactly what's needed to build on that momentum.
K
Karthik V
My cousin failed his 12th and felt completely lost. No one reached out. If this system had been there, his life could have been different. Better late than never. All the best to NIOS.
N
Nikhil C
A respectful criticism: The plan sounds great on paper. But will the counselling be effective? And will there be a stigma attached to being 'tracked' as a failed student? The approach needs to be sensitive.
M
Meera T
100% retention till Class 12 is the right goal. Education shouldn't end at 10th. This gives hope to so many children, especially girls in rural areas who often drop out due to family pressure.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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