Karnataka records 14,087 out-of-school children; ranks third in South India
Bengaluru: Karnataka has emerged as the third-highest state in South India in terms of out-of-school children, according to the latest data released by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
According to a report published by The New Indian Express on Saturday, information provided in Parliament in response to a question raised by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury shows that during the 2025–26 academic year, Karnataka recorded 14,087 out-of-school children, of whom 6,462 are adolescent girls. The figures mark a sharp increase compared to the previous year.
In 2024–25, there were 9,422 out-of-school children, of whom only 115 were girls. Karnataka ranks 12th nationally, while Gujarat, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh top the chart.
In South India, Andhra Pradesh topped the list with a staggering 46,463 out-of-school children, including 17,584 adolescent girls. Tamil Nadu stood second with 19,897 children, of whom 9,054 were girls. Telangana recorded 4,753 out-of-school children, including 2,006 girls, while Kerala reported the lowest number at 1,773, with 539 girls.
The Ministry reportedly stated that it is providing free education to children through schemes such as Samagra Shiksha, upgradation and operation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, Morarji Desai Residential Schools, free uniforms and textbooks, and the construction of hostels for SC and ST girl students, among others.
Despite these measures, thousands of children remain out of school due to persistent challenges such as lack of basic infrastructure, including toilets and drinking water, shortage of teachers, child marriage, teenage pregnancies, and the fact that free and compulsory education is mandated only up to the age of 14 and not 18. In Karnataka alone, out of 46,460 schools, around 170 schools still lack toilet facilities.
Kathyayini Chamraj, Executive Trustee at CIVIC, recently submitted a memorandum to Laxmi Hebbalkar, Minister for Women and Child Development, urging the government to introduce mandatory pre-registration marriage certificates.
Instead of police intervention at wedding venues, the government should make pre-registration marriage certificates compulsory through the tahsildar to verify the age of couples, she said, adding that this would help curb child marriages and reduce school dropouts among adolescent girls.
Chamraj also called for extending free and compulsory education to children aged 15 to 18, along with options for vocational education and apprenticeships. She emphasised that it is crucial for multiple government departments to work together, allocate funds, and ensure essential facilities such as toilets and drinking water in schools.
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Theatre stampede case: Charge sheet filed against 23 accused including actor Allu Arjun
Hyderabad (PTI): The city police have filed a charge sheet in a court here against 23 persons, including top Telugu actor Allu Arjun, in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede during the premiere of 'Pushpa-2' film at Sandhya theatre here last year.
The theatre's owner, partners, manager and lower balcony In-charge and gatekeeper were named as accused no. 1 to 10 in the charge sheet filed on December 24, while Arjun has been named as accused no 11.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar on Saturday stated that the investigation into the Sandhya theatre stampede case has been completed.
The investigation established lapses in planning, crowd management, security arrangements, and coordination among the theatre management, event organisers, private security personnel, and others involved during the incident, the Commissioner said.
"Following a comprehensive and detailed probe, a chargesheet was filed before the court on December 24. A total of 23 accused have been charge-sheeted in the case. Of these, 14 accused were arrested, while nine accused, who obtained anticipatory bail, were served notices," he said in a release.
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Further proceedings in the case will continue as per law, he said.
Earlier, Allu Arjun was arrested after the 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was injured in the stampede during the screening of ‘Pushpa 2' movie at Sandhya theatre here on December 4, 2024.
The stampede occurred as fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor during the premiere.
Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on a complaint lodged by the deceased woman's family.
Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13, 2024 and released from jail on December 14, 2024 after the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail. He was granted regular bail later.
Allu Arjun and the makers of the film 'Pushpa' had extended financial assistance to the family of the boy. The Telangana government had also announced financial assistance to the family.
