Interview Transcript

Your client is the government of a tribal state who is faced with the nation’s highest primary school dropout rates. Suggest policies or Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives to address this issue.

Okay, so since our client is the government of a tribal state who is faced with the nation’s highest primary school dropout rates, I would like to know some demographics of the state like the population, urban-rural divide, and the no. of schools in that state.

The population of the state is 2 lakhs and the urban-rural divide is 30:70. Talking about the schools, there are around 50 schools in urban areas and around 30 schools in rural areas.

Considering the urban-rural divide, I want to know if the dropout rates vary in urban and rural areas and is this problem concentrated in a particular gender?

The increase in the dropout rates has only been seen in rural regions and the urban areas have not been affected. The dropout ratio for boys and girls is 45:55.

Considering the close dropout ratio, it doesn’t seem like a gender-specific issue. Are there any specific demographic groups or regions experiencing a higher dropout rate? Also, could you brief me a little about the major occupations of people in the state?

Approximately 24 rural areas in the tribal state are significantly impacted, with no specific demographic groups identified. The major occupations of the people include agriculture, hunting, gathering and artisanal crafts.

Okay now that I have a basic demographic knowledge of the tribal state, I would like to divide the problem into 4 factors which are – Educational, Socio-Economic, Psychological and Administrative. Which one would you want me to explore first?

Yes, all these factors are important to reach to the root cause of this problem You may begin with the socio-economic factors.

Beginning with the socio-economic factors, as previously mentioned, the problem solely lies in the rural regions of the state. Are factors such as poverty, lack of resources, cultural practices, or community dynamics correlated with the high dropout rates observed among students?

No, the current increased dropout rates situation has not been influenced by any of these factors.

Alright, moving on to the educational aspect. Are there issues related to teacher availability, curriculum, or teaching methods that may influence dropout rates?

No, the educational aspects mentioned by you have remained constant for the past 10+ years.

That’s helpful to know. Are there any recent government initiatives or projects, especially those related to infrastructure development, that have been implemented in the tribal state?

Yes, with the introduction of a new government scheme, construction of 5 dams has been initiated in

the past 6 months.

Have there been any reports about the impact of these projects on education, and can you elaborate

on the difficulties students face in reaching educational institutions? Yes, the local communities have faced challenges in commuting to school. Due to the project, nearly 50,000 people have been relocated.

Considering the reallocation of 50,000 people in the past 6 months due to this construction project

and the problem İying solely in the rural region, I believe the lack of transportation facilities and income constraints to afford accessibility have affected the education trend and led to the sudden spike in the dropout rates.

Alright, you’ve correctly identified the problem. Now, please proceed with the recommendations for addressing it.

Given the challenges in commuting, a potential solution is the government opening more “Ashram

schools” in different regions where the children can study as well as live in the same place. This way, children won’t need to travel, enabling them to study where they stay. Address commuting challenges by suggesting the creation of boarding facilities near existing schools.

This provides a secure environment for relocated students, ensuring they can stay close during the

week and continue attending their current school. This fosters stability in education, respects tribal values, and may create business opportunities, boosting employment and local businesses.

All right, that makes sense. How do you propose incorporating public-private partnerships for the betterment of the current situation?

To tackle dam-related challenges and cut primary school dropout rates in tribal areas, a focused Public-Private Partnership (PPP) can be enhanced with strategic policies. This involves private sector

participation, incentive-based compensation, and government tax subsidies for PPP-involved

companies to promote the establishment of Ashram schools. Setting a higher minimum wage for

infrastructure development labor prioritizes school construction, addressing commuting challenges.

This integrated strategy optimizes private sector resources and government policies to build a sustainable education infrastructure

, aiming to significantly decrease primary school dropout rates.

Thank You for your recommendations, we can close the case now.

Case Facts

• Statistics of dropout rates in various years:

             -15.6% for 2020

             -9.48% for 2021

             -6.38% for 2022

            -26.87% for 2023

• The urban-rural divide in the tribal state is 30:70, wherein the problem solely lies in the rural region with no impact on the urban part.
• A government initiative to construct five dams in the rural region of the tribal state has resulted in the reallocation of approximately 50,000 people.