Dropout of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Females at Higher Education

: Dropout is a major problem in the globalised educational system. Different factors affect the students at their continuing education, finding them out could be an effective step in removing dropout at all the level of education. The present study has a significant role to draw the preventive measures to stop further dropping out. The present study had made a personal interview of six dropout students consisting three Scheduled Castes and three Scheduled Tribe students.


Introduction:
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal agenda-2030 has been aiming at quality education to all by the end of the year 2030.The National Education Policy-2020 in India has been implemented aiming at complete human development through inclusive and equitable quality education.Dropout has been a matter of subject at all level of education from the primary level to the tertiary education.The dropout rates in higher education consistently have remained higher in all over the world.The government of India has taken many steps to increase the enrolment and reduce the dropout rates in the elementary and school education.Such a step is also required in the higher education at least for the sake of reducing the wastage of money.The term "Dropout" in higher education has been defined for the present study as any student who ceased to continue the course of study and has not appeared the final end semester examination for graduation.There are many factors that influence a student to cease to continue the course of study, which includes social, economic, educational, cultural, physical and mental health.These dropout students are not only being deprived of getting education but also from enjoying their cheerful student lives.

Significance of the study:
Dropout is a major problem in the globalised educational system.It not only affects the students but also the system of education by wasting fund generated for the development of education.Different factors affect the students at their continuing education, finding them out could be an effective step in removing dropout at all the level of education.NEP-2020 stressed on top priority to bring back the dropped-out students to the main stream of education.The present study has a significant role to draw the preventive measures to stop further dropping out.The present study had made a personal interview of six dropout students consisting three Scheduled Caste and three Scheduled Tribe students.This study was carried out personally at the residence of the dropouts with previous assignment.• Email: editor@ijfmr.com

Objective of the study:
The objective of the present study is to study of the causes behind drop out in females of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Higher education.

Research question:
What may be the causes behind dropping out in females of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Higher education?
5.0 Review of related literature: Alom, J.H. (2020) reported the socio-economic condition being the main reason and early marriage, lack of support for the family are the other causes of drop-out at higher education.Kumar, B. (2021) mentioned lack of self-interest in study and lack of parental support as the reasons behind dropping out of the females at college level of education.

Methodology:
The study was designed for an individual student who completed 10+2 course, getting enrolled in a college of higher education and left without completion of the under-graduate course.The participants of the study were chosen from the females of the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe populations.The researcher has emphasized on the points to find out the hidden cause of dropout.A total of 6 (six) dropout students were interviewed personally in the present study, of which 3 (three) belongs to Scheduled castes and 3 (three) belongs to the Scheduled Tribes communities.The researcher also tried to reveal the present status of the dropout students.The three Scheduled Castes Dropout female students, responded in the interview had been named as SCD-1, SCD-2, SCD-3 and three Scheduled Tribes Dropout female students, who responded in the interview had been named as STD-1, STD-2, STD-3 for better understanding.

Procedure of data Collection:
An interview schedule was used to collect data.Besides, observation and the data entered in the interview schedule some of the relevant questions were also asked to the respondents during the interview period.Phone number was collected from the dropout girl and necessary data was also collected over phone.The parents also supported in during interview.The Table-1 gives a true picture of the students' conversations while interviewing.

Analysis and interpretation:
A study was carried out personally in 3(three) SC and 3(three) ST female students to find out the real causes of dropout amongst the female SC and ST students of undergraduate studies.The studies explored different angles to find out the reasons behind the dropping of studies at the middle of the course by the female students especially the SC and ST communities.After exploration the researcher analyzed the data as per the objectives of the presenst study.

Factors of Dropout
Responses of the drop-out students reach the college, if the distance to the college was not a walk able distance.The economically poor female students had to face such problems very often and compelled to leave their study.Those who could manage attending the classes by travelling a tedious journey become tired; furthermore they did find less study times at homes.The finding remarks of Jagadeeswari (2014) 32 had support on the present findings, where she had pointed out that lack of hostel facilities hampered the SC and ST female students in accessing higher education; even she had also suggested providing books and other materials.Similar findings had been reported by Das (2016) 33 that SC students faced problems related to accommodation and transportation and were not getting sufficient study materials in their higher education in Assam.Some of the dropouts faced severe financial hardship.they could not receive scholarship or financial grant from any source; as such they were unaware of how to receive any kind of educational scholarship.Some failed in previous examination and in the backlog examination they had to pay examination fee of both regular examination and fee for the failed subjects.The examination fee was not affordable by their family.The people in their society are mainly busy in daily works to have their daily income so have minimum leisure to think for the development of their children.Some dropped their education because of the long distance to the college.They had to travel daily by public buses, which were heavily congested and daily expenditure was barely affordable.Moreover, the timings of public vehicles are irregular with unscheduled stoppages and most times they do not stop at college dropping points.The hectic schedules of the semester system and irrelevant course content factored some of the student's decision to drop out of the study program.They found difficulty to cope with the rigorous curriculum and failed to pass multiple times.They did not experience any discrimination or prejudice while studying by both teaching and non-teaching staff.

Suggestions and Preventive measures:
Parents awareness programme for value of Higher education.Education grant may be provided to the female students for the completion of course.Regular mentoring of the female students by female teachers.Psychological counselling may be provided to the female students.