The slogan 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' shines on every street corner, government buildings and banners, but this slogan does not reach the villages and settlements where daughters are dropping out of school every day. A recent report has revealed that 39.4% of girls in the age group of 15 to 18 years are out of school. This figure is not just a number, it is a harsh comment on our social structure.

Distance from home to school, lack of safe transport, lack of higher secondary schools, condition of toilets and social insecurity – all these things are not the subject of any research paper, but are the ground realities with which thousands of girls are struggling every day. And ultimately they have to give up education. Government figures may show increased enrollment, but the reality is that girls are not able to stay in school after enrollment.
Look at a common rural scenario. Schools up to fifth standard are nearby, but after eighth standard the school is far away. There is no transport facility. No bus, no bicycle, no female companion or guide. Parents are afraid to send their daughter alone for five kilometers. They worry that there may be some molestation on the way, some accident may happen. Due to that worry, the girl stops going to school.
Talking about toilets, it is not just a matter of convenience but also of self-esteem and health. Girls go through a period of transition during adolescence where a clean and safe toilet can determine the continuity of their education. But most government schools either do not have toilets or if they do, they are dirty, unsafe, or damaged. This becomes another reason for parents to withdraw their daughters from school.
Security is a big issue. Sending teenage girls to schools where there are no female teachers, no CCTV cameras or guards is still a risk for parents. This fear does not only arise from chaos but also from the insensitivity of society. The daily incidents and news of molestation in the news deepen this fear.
Apart from all this, society's priorities regarding education are also not clear. If a boy studies, it creates the 'future of the family', but if a girl studies, it creates the 'fear of missing the marriageable age'. This mentality is still deeply prevalent in rural areas. Girls' education is considered more of an 'expense' than a 'benefit'.
Now if a daughter leaves school under these circumstances, is it her fault? Or is it a collective mistake – of the system, of society, and of us?
The solution to this situation will not be only government schemes but concrete implementation. First of all, it has to be ensured that there is a higher secondary school within a radius of three kilometers from every village. This basic educational infrastructure is the right of every child.
Transport facilities are as important as the presence of a teacher. If girls cannot reach school, how will they study? The government will have to ensure options like school vans, girl student bicycle scheme or 'school pass' in public transport.
The necessity of clean and usable toilets in every school should not be just a part of the 'Clean India Mission' but should be the basis of the true essence of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'. The local administration should be made responsible for the appointment of female staff, regular inspection and cleanliness.
For security, the presence of women teachers should be increased in every school. Security guards, CCTV cameras and parents' participation in the school premises should be encouraged. This step will not only give assurance of safety to the daughters but also mental peace to the parents.
Along with this, the buildings and infrastructure of schools should be developed with quality and not just for the sake of formality. Library, computer room, science laboratories, playground - all these should be standard parts of the school.
Another important point is digital education. The pandemic has shown that those who do not have mobile, internet and electricity are left out of studies. Digital literacy and availability of equipment in rural schools is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.
The education department should make a regular list of girls who have dropped out of school. It should be the responsibility of the administration to visit their homes to find out the reason, motivate them to come back, and take the parents into confidence.
At the same time, society too will have to introspect. Why do we want to educate our daughters – for jobs, for marriage or for self-reliance? As long as society's answer remains unclear, the solution will also remain incomplete.
The administration, society and the family will have to take the responsibility to ensure that no girl is deprived of education. This does not only mean opening schools, but also taking full responsibility to ensure that the girl goes to school and stays there.
If 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' is not to remain just a line on a banner, then it has to be transformed into a joint effort of panchayats, school committees, teachers' organizations, parents and students. Only then will a society be created where no daughter will be deprived of education.

Email:--------------------------------priyankasaurabh9416@outlook.com