School dropouts make a nation lose its competitive edge globally as it directly has an impact on the future of youth force in the country. If left unattended, the dropouts take up jobs in unorganised sectors as coolies, house-hold assistance and even menial jobs. Some even gradually become socially boycotted. A number of NGOs and even individuals are involved in solving this problem and there are a few more who try to rehabilitate them.
“The root of this problem is highly complex. It ranges from economic to gender issues to cultural identity. Only a systemic change can combat this,” says R. Jayagopal, correspondent, Universal Sevak University Trust (USUT) – IGNOU-ISTE Programme Centre (IIPC).
Originally written for The Hindu, read more at https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-downtown/turning-dropouts-into-productive-force/article4299154.ece