New Delhi- Delhi, India’s capital city is a vibrant tapestry of history, culture and modernity. Delhi is an amalgamation of historical monuments and a bustling metropolis where the past and present coincide. Interestingly, Delhi is the largest metropolitan city in India which is a hotspot for migration from different parts of the country in search of better jobs and remuneration. Yet, amid its economic promise, the children of Delhi's slums struggle daily for their right to education and safe living conditions.
Universally accessible education has been a paramount objective in global development, underscored by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Directive Principles enshrined in the Indian Constitution . India has made substantial progress towards this goal by implementing free and compulsory primary education, a critical foundation for national literacy. Recognizing the pivotal role of early childhood education, primary schooling, typically encompassing children aged 6 to 14 years, has been prioritized.
This commitment to free and compulsory primary education in India aims to ensure universal literacy. However, in Delhi, the nation's capital, children residing in slum communities, often situated near the most vulnerable centers, face significant obstacles to accessing quality education and other developmental opportunities.
According to the data from the Census India 2011, Delhi is home to over 750 slum communities. For the purpose of Census, a slum is typically defined as a densely populated residential area characterized by substandard housing, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of basic services. These include dwellings that are dilapidated, overcrowded, and poorly designed, with limited access to clean water, sanitation, and proper waste disposal. Additionally, narrow, poorly maintained streets and a lack of ventilation or natural light often contribute to the overall substandard living conditions within a slum. However, the reality on the ground today suggests that this figure may be significantly higher.
The plight of the slum children is vulnerable in terms of education, socio-economic condition and inimical living environment. Educational deprivation of slum dwellers is not an isolated incident, for instance, the Timarpur slum which is close to the premier institution University of Delhi in North Delhi, demonstrates that children from slums face denial of admission on the backdrop of legal documents such as Adhaar card, proof of residential address and bank account. For many slum families, the lack of stable housing or access to public services makes obtaining these documents a daunting task.
Significant challenges continue to plague the Delhi schooling system, despite its prominent position in public discourse. The majority of the parents in slums are found to be illiterate and face difficulty in arranging such legal documents required by the rigorous admission procedure, which sweeps away those children from getting admission to schools in the concerned class.
Past surveys also indicate that domestic violence, encompassing both verbal and physical abuse, significantly impacts students' academic performance. Parental alcoholism is frequently identified as a major contributor to this issue. This complex situation is further compounded by instances where mothers, experiencing emotional distress, may temporarily or permanently leave the family home affecting the emotional balance of the children.
A significant proportion of students exhibit a discrepancy between their actual academic proficiency and their formal grade level. By the fourth grade, this learning gap can range from one to three academic years. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent among students enrolled in government-run schools. Furthermore, early school dropout rates are notably higher among this population, particularly after the completion of eighth grade along with the high failure rate of students in ninth grade, even with remedial and compartment exams.
Moreover, the issue of students being over-aged is also one of the reasons for the denial of admission to children. As a result, these students often end up working alongside their parents to supplement the household income. This loop is circulating in a vicious form which is a stark sign of systemic failure and a violation of human rights which perpetuates poverty and denial of the right to education to children from slums. Few parents are also non-cooperative and lack a basic understanding of what they need to do to provide basic care to their children, e.g. sending their children to school regularly, providing proper timely feeds, sleeping on a timely basis, restricting TV time, etc.
Lastly, infrastructure disparities also act as a major obstacle. A study by UDP in 2023 revealed that 495 out of 685 slums in Delhi lacked access to any middle, secondary, or senior secondary schools within a 250-meter buffer area.
This finding suggests that the expansion of educational infrastructure may have been uneven, with significant disparities in access across different areas. Given that over 72% of the sampled slums lacked access to any school within the designated buffer zone, serious concerns arise regarding the equitable and universal provision of quality education for the slum residents.
Further interactions with the Timarpur slum dwellers revealed that the reason behind the denial of admission was not precisely due to lack of legal documents but also included other factors. Furthermore, many students, facing these barriers, opted for the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) as an alternative to dropping out. However, without the direct support from families and schools typically received by students in traditional settings, NIOS enrollment often resulted in academic challenges.
Shockingly, in Timarpur, post-covid more than 85% of children opted for NIOS and half of them either failed, got compartment or dropped out in ninth grade which again hindered them from studying or passing in tenth-grade board exam as said by a Timarpur social work counsellor Mr Kamal Gupta.
Kamal Gupta, a Timarpur resident serving as a central coordinator and counselor, observed a stark disparity in the academic outcomes. He noted that, on average, only 3 to 5 out of every 100 slum children successfully pass the tenth-grade board exams.
The remaining students either fail, are required to take compartmental exams, or ultimately drop out of school. This endless loop forces children into labor or exposes them to negative influences, often leading to harmful intoxicants, juvenile crime and early marriages. This alarming issue presses the need for restructuring the admission procedure by simplifying it and raising parental awareness.
Despite these daunting obstacles, a few resilient parents and children, like Khushi and Hansika, stand as testaments to the possibility of change, even amidst adversity. One such incident is Khushi, a resident at Timarpur who was denied admission due to issues with submitting legal documents. However,Khushi and her parents fought against the unconstitutional denial of her admission in law courts.
As a result of which, Khushi got the opportunity to study in a regular schooling system under the non-plan admission protocol in 2023, following a high court order that extended the dates of admission for the children who had previously dropped out, exceeded the age limit, or were enrolled in NIOS. However, within the entire Timarpur area, Khushi appears to be the sole beneficiary of this policy change.
Meanwhile, Hansika, a 12-year-old resident of Timarpur, exemplifies the challenges faced by many slum children. After migrating to Timarpur, Hansika's father attempted to enroll her in Sarvodhya Kendra Vidhyalaya, but the school denied admission due to insufficient documentation. As a result of which, Hansika was compelled to enroll in NIOS and currently receives home tuition. Despite this, she expresses a strong desire to attend a regular school.
Furthermore,students from slum areas who pursue their education through NIOS or distance learning programs often face challenges in competing with their peers from regular schools. This educational disparity further limits their opportunities, pushing them toward low-paying, meager jobs and perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
Despite government initiatives aimed at universal education, systemic challenges such as limited access to schools, lack of proper documentation, and inadequate support for alternative educational means like NIOS continue to affect educational opportunities for these disadvantaged groups. The case of Khushi highlights the potential for legal intervention to address these barriers, while the experiences of Hansika emphasize the need for solutions that address the root causes of educational exclusion.
The exclusion of females from education is not an isolated occurrence, but it is particularly alarming when considering the disparity in female education within Delhi. According to the data, Delhi’s overall literacy rate is higher compared to other parts of India. In spite of that, a notable gender gap is visible in Delhi’s education levels between male and female.
Census 2011 data revealed, the literacy rate was 88% for males and 79.8% for females (this data may vary according to the current demographic context). Moreover, the updated data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) pointed out a slight improvement in literacy rate of females and males, but the gender disparity is still stagnant.
However,the disparity is more evident in Delhi slum’s, where the female literacy rate is estimated to be around 60-65%, significantly lower than the male rate of approximately 75%. In accordance with this, a study conducted by a London-based NGO, Save the Children, highlighted that around 60% of girls in Delhi slums drop out by the age of 15, majorly due to financial constraints, priority towards male education in the family, early marriages and so on.
This highlights the enormity of the issue and widening of gender gap in education in Delhi slums. In fact, Delhi should be the epitome of a quality educational system for the county, inversely it shows the ground reality of gender exclusion in education.
According to the Malala Fund, 130 million girls globally have experienced some form of gender-based violence affecting their access to education. Aditi, an 11-year-old girl, residing in a slum in West Delhi recalled experiencing frequent harassment during her school commute. She stated, “Men used to follow me, sexually harass me, make lewd comments, stare, and stalk me. They would even follow me home.” The regular intimidation ultimately led to her dropping out of school in the fifth grade.
Inadequate sanitation and hygiene in schools significantly hinder girls' education. In developing countries like India, many schools lack clean and safe toilets, increasing girls' risk of infections and menstrual hygiene issues. This often leads to absenteeism and dropout due to discomfort and shame.
Quality Education and gender equality has been considered as the primary goal of “Sustainable Development Goals” and “Fundamental Rights” of the children, India is far from achieving this goal. There are a few recommendations put forward for overall access and outcomes in regards to current education policy in Delhi, such as gender inclusive educational awareness programs, adequate infrastructure provisions in schools as per the RTE Act of 2009, simplification of admission procedure by reducing the required documentation, prioritizing regular school enrollment over NIOS admissions, and the development and implementation of foundational courses to facilitate the reintegration of over-aged and dropout students into regular schooling.
Schools can also offer vocational training programmes to enhance the skills of the students who face hurdles in the traditional way of learning. Also, fostering a gender-neutral learning environment is crucial to ensure equal opportunities for all students. This can minimize their financial pressure by inculcating practical skills and job opportunities. By focusing on all these areas with meticulous planning Delhi Education Department can bring significant strides towards improving quality and equitable access of education for slum children.
It is imperative to properly implement policies or restructure existing ones to prioritize the needs of the marginalized and deprived children in these slums. Only through this, the vicious spiral of poverty and educational deprivation will be broken. This not only mandates admission to regular schooling with high success rates but also deems an indispensable need for remedial classes for students who fail in exams, career awareness classes, education on topics like sex education and so on.
Successful urban development often depends on collaborative efforts between various stakeholders. Partnerships between municipalities and institutions like universities and the residents themselves, as exemplified by Delhi Government’s collaboration with colleges like IIT-Delhi and SPA-Delhi in the past, can foster innovation, bridge knowledge gaps, aid in community engagements and direct towards a positive urban change.
Having a multifaceted approach that addresses the root causes of illiteracy is essential. It is imperative to mandate prodh shiksha ( adult education) to engage the adults in systematic and sustained self-learning activities.
Geethanjali V G, is a graduate of Sociology from Miranda House, Delhi University. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Social Work from Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Chennai. She extensively worked as a social work trainee in various government institutions such as Urban Habitat Development Board, Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing Development and Cooperation etc.
Ritam Basu, is a graduate of Urban and Regional Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. He has extensive academic experience working in various development sectors, including local governance, rural economies, and urban infrastructure with various state and central government departments.
You can also join our WhatsApp group to get premium and selected news of The Mooknayak on WhatsApp. Click here to join the WhatsApp group.