The district administration has began the exercise to bring back students who dropped out of schools in Virudhunagar.

As many as 1,306 students from classes 9 to 12 have been found to have been absent for at least 15 days. “Efforts are on to bring them back so that they continue with their schooling,” Collector V.P. Jeyaseelan said.

The drive is part of the efforts taken every year to ensure that school students in all panchayat unions complete their schooling and go for higher studies.

The district administration has found that the highest number of students – 338- in Sivakasi block have dropped out till August this year. The number in other blocks are: Aruppukottai 113, Kariyapatti 53, Narikudi 30, Sattur 82, Srivilliputtur 74, Vembakottai 168, Watrap 67, Tiruchuli 62 and Rajapalayam 137 and Virudhunagar 182.

At a meeting chaired by the Collector and attended by Superintendent of Police D. Kannan, District Revenue Officer R. Rajendran, Project Director, (District Rural Development Agency), Dandapani and Deputy Collectors, Deputy Superintendents of Police and Tahsildars, the officials were given a list of dropouts in their region.

They have been asked to meet the students in person and interact with them in order to ascertain the reasons for dropping out. They have also been asked to make efforts to redress their problems so that they are back in schools.

The Collector on Saturday visited various places in Virudhunagar union and town and met the dropout students and their parents. When he wanted to know the reasons for dropping out, the students and parents cited various reasons such as health issues and financial crunch. He promised to provide them with medical and financial aid.

The officials would keep a close watch on the students, who will be provided special classes to help overcome their lack of interest in studies.