The government has admitted that the infant and child mortality is higher among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as compared to others. This trend is also reflected in the Neo Natal Mortality and Post Neonatal Mortality rate. The under five mortality rate among the STs is as high as almost 96 percent while it is over 88 percent in the case of SCs. In a written reply in Lok Sabha today the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Narayansami said that the children under the age of five among SCs and STs are also behind others as far as nutrition standard are concerned. The information for the year 2007-08 shows while the gross enrolment ratio for students between one to fifth class was better among SCs and STs as compared to others, the drop out rate among the children of SCs and STs is higher.