Assam's Education Crisis: Over 5.5 Lakh Students Abandon Classes

A troubling report from Assam indicates that around 5.5 lakh students have ceased attending school, as revealed by an analysis of educational data. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu highlighted that many students initially enrolled but stopped attending classes shortly after. The government is now focusing on data-driven approaches to understand and address the declining enrolment rates. During a recent Teachers' Day event, 15 educators were honored for their contributions to the field. This situation raises significant concerns about the quality of education and the effectiveness of current policies in Assam.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 5, 2026, 13:31 IST

Significant Drop in Student Attendance

Cabinet Ministers Pegu & Biswajit Daimary pay tribute to Dr S Radhakrishnan at the Teachers' Day programme at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra. (Photo:@ranojpeguassam/X)

Guwahati, Sept 5: According to the state government, approximately 5.5 lakh students in Assam have stopped attending school, as revealed by a recent analysis of educational data.

The Education Department derived this figure by examining records from Shiksha Setu and Anganwadi centres, aiming to address the issue of declining enrolment in government schools.

Education Minister Ranoj Pegu explained that the analysis involved tracking students from Class 4 to Class 6 and reviewing Anganwadi data. The findings indicated that while many students initially enrolled, a significant number ceased attending classes after a month or two. “Our analysis revealed that around 5.5 lakh students are no longer attending school,” he stated during a Teachers' Day event at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra.

Pegu emphasized that the government chose to rely on data rather than assumptions regarding the reasons for student dropouts, which were often attributed to declining educational standards.

“In the Assembly, it was mentioned that 2.5 lakh students had left government schools due to poor quality education. We opted to investigate the data instead of making unfounded claims,” he remarked.

The department monitored student transitions between educational stages and compared school enrolment figures with Anganwadi records.

Pegu noted that the availability of detailed databases has transformed the government's approach to policy formulation.

“Previously, we lacked such comprehensive portals. Now, we possess the data necessary to understand the real situation on the ground. These databases have significantly advanced our policymaking capabilities,” he added.

The Minister highlighted the state's digital admission system as a means to optimize seat allocation. He mentioned the use of the Samarth portal for higher education admissions and the introduction of the Vidyalaya Setu portal for schools.

During the event, 15 educators were honored with the State Teachers' Award 2026 for their outstanding contributions to education.

The awardees were chosen based on recommendations from the State Level Selection Committee, considering their dedication to academics, innovative teaching methods, student engagement, and community involvement. They represent various schools from districts including Jorhat, Kamrup Metro, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Dhubri, Nagaon, Kokrajhar, Golaghat, Hojai, Darrang, Cachar, and Karbi Anglong.

The recipients of the State Teachers' Award 2026 include Shyamalima Borah from Jorhat, Bijan Roy Bhowmick from Kamrup Metro, Manab Bharali from Nalbari, Riju Kumar Chutia from Dibrugarh, Probin Koch from Sonitpur, Ranendra Kumar Das from Barpeta, Azizur Rahman from Dhubri, Manik Chandra Nath from Nagaon, Bibi Prasad Brahma from Kokrajhar, Pulaska Rajkhowa from Golaghat, Saranga Nirmalia from Hojai, Diti Moni Dutta from Dibrugarh, Befula Deka Saikia from Darrang, Swastyayan Deb from Cachar, and Kamsing Hanse from Karbi Anglong.