BIMARU in education: 5 states struggling to send people to school

Causes for disengagement include financial constraints, parental unwillingness

BIMARU, a term coined by demographer Ashish Bose to describe states trailing economically in the 1980s, would be archaic now. But judging Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha in terms of their people’s education and training the term doesn’t seem amiss.

The report of the government's Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey shows how the five states have done in school education. Between 2020-21 and 2022-23, the participation of individuals aged 15 to 24 in formal and non-formal education declined in these states.

National participation rate increased in this period, marking the persistent educational challenges in the five states and the need for improving participation and outcomes. 

The percentage of individuals without formal education in urban areas was higher in Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh compared to India's rate of 1.9 per cent in 2022-23 (Odisha and Madhya Pradesh did better than the national metric). In rural areas of four states, the metric exceeded India's rate of 2.2 per cent (Odisha did better than the national average).

Leading causes for disengagement from education in urban areas include financial issues, particularly in Bihar (22.6 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (24.3 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh (21.3 per cent). In Rajasthan (27.7 per cent) and Odisha (37.2 per cent), parental unwillingness to send children to school was the main reason.

In rural areas, lack of interest in studying was the primary reason for disengagement in Bihar (25.3 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (31.9 per cent), and Odisha (33.2 per cent). Parental disinterest in education was the main barrier in Rajasthan (35 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh (31.9 per cent). (Chart 2) 

An analysis of per capita income reveals that these states continue to struggle with low income levels, with Bihar facing the most significant challenges. 

Kerala leads the country with an education participation rate of 68.9 per cent, followed by Sikkim at 68.6 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir at 61.1 per cent, Mizoram at 59.5 per cent, and Himachal Pradesh at 59.1 per cent. These states have all seen gains from 2020-21 to 2022-23 in the participation of individuals aged 15 to 24 in formal and non-formal education.