Karnataka Reports Highest Secondary School Dropout Rate Among Girls in Major States

A worrying trend has emerged in Karnataka’s education sector, with the state recording one of the highest dropout rates among girls studying in Classes 9 and 10. According to the latest UDISE Plus report presented in the Lok Sabha, Karnataka has overtaken several larger states, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, in the percentage of girls leaving school before completing secondary education.

The report for the 2025 to 2026 academic year shows that 13.9 percent of girls in Karnataka discontinue their education at the secondary school level. This figure is significantly higher than the national average of 8 percent, raising serious concerns about student retention and access to education for adolescent girls.

Although Karnataka has shown gradual improvement over the past three years, the pace of progress remains slow compared to several other states. The dropout rate has reduced from 19.6 percent in 2023 to 2024 to 14.6 percent in 2024 to 2025, and now stands at 13.9 percent. Despite this decline, the state continues to rank among the poorest performers in the country.

Among all regions, Ladakh has the highest dropout rate at 15.6 percent. However, when only major states are considered, Karnataka and Assam share the top position with a dropout rate of 13.9 percent each. This places Karnataka in an uncomfortable spotlight despite its reputation for educational development.

The comparison with other states is particularly striking. Bihar, once known for having one of the country’s weakest education indicators, has achieved remarkable progress by reducing its girls’ dropout rate from 25.1 percent in 2023 to 2024 to just 9.1 percent in the latest report. Uttar Pradesh has performed even better, recording a dropout rate of only 7.3 percent, which is below the national average.

Southern neighbours have also outperformed Karnataka by a wide margin. Kerala has maintained one of the lowest dropout rates in the country at just 3 percent, while Tamil Nadu stands at 3.2 percent. Haryana has also recorded a low figure of 3.8 percent, highlighting the gap between Karnataka and several better performing states.

Education experts believe that reducing dropout rates requires sustained efforts in improving school accessibility, financial support for students, stronger counselling systems, and addressing social and economic challenges that force many girls to discontinue their education. The latest UDISE Plus findings underline the need for targeted interventions to ensure that more girls remain in school and complete their secondary education.

The report serves as a reminder that while Karnataka has made some progress over recent years, much stronger measures will be needed to bring the state’s dropout rate closer to the national average and match the performance of leading states in school education.