The Centre and state governments had resolved to launch “operation digital board” and also to initiate a scheme to identify out of school children from September 2018. This was informed by the HRD minister Prakash Javadekar at the end of the first day of the 65th Cabinet Advisory Board of Education (CABE) meeting in Delhi on 15 January 2018.

During the meeting, the district-wise findings of the National Achievement Survey (NAS) for classes III, V and VIII were also tabled. A number of CABE sub-committee of reports were also submitted on 15 January 2018.

1. The sub-committee on out of school children will submit the final report on January 31, 2018 and it recommended that there is a need to have a standardised definition of out of school children and that states should conduct a joint survey to identify such children.
2. We will take the identification process to the grassroots level so that it doesn’t remain on paper. Since admissions in schools continue till July-August, a scheme will be launched in September for this, said Javadekar.
3. The recommendations also include ensuring Aadhaar UID also to all out of school children and that will be ensured by the district collector and introduce pre-primary education in all government schools.
4. The sub-committee on girls’ education is likely to submit its final report by February 2018. Among the draft recommendations, the committee suggested one residential, English medium, CBSE schools for girls on lines of Navodaya Vidyalayas in each district, extend mid-day meal support up to Class XII, free education up to PG level and residential degree colleges and polytechnics for women in the district headquarters and exclusive women university in each state.
5. “operation digital board” has been 50 to 60 years now since the launch of “operation blackboard. Each state during the meeting shared their achievements right from digital intervention to out-of-school children.
6. Twenty-two state education ministers were present at the meeting. Javadekar also said it was resolved in the meeting to promote human value education, life skill education and experiential learning.
7. The minister said that the frequency of CABE meetings will be increased with fewer agenda items for comprehensive discussion.