School dropout rates among girls remain a serious issue in many countries, especially in developing nations like India. Many Indian states report significantly higher dropout rates for girls compared to boys. For example, in Tamil Nadu, over 90% of girls enrol in elementary school, but this drops to 57% at the secondary level and 50% at higher secondary levels. These numbers highlight that gender disparities in education are a concerning reality.
States like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Assam, Meghalaya, and Bihar show similar trends, with girls consistently dropping out more than boys at all educational levels. For example, in Meghalaya, 9.4% of girls leave school at the upper primary level, and the figure jumps to 20.4% at the secondary level.
In fact, three in five girls aged 16 to 18 years are out of school. This disparity in women’s education may also explain why more than three in five women remain out of the labour force in India.
Gender disparities in education: What forces girls out of the school?
The National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) reveals several reasons why girls drop out of school. Out of more than 21,800 girls who left school before the 2019-20 school year, over 13% dropped out because they had to help with household work. It shows that many girls bear the responsibility of domestic duties, limiting their education opportunities.
Underage marriages still force many girls out of school. Nearly 7% of girls dropped out due to early marriages, even though child marriage is illegal. However, only 0.3% of boys faced similar situations.
Safety concerns also contributed to the dropout rates. At least 2% of girls left school because they felt unsafe. Additionally, 1.7% of girls dropped out because schools lacked proper facilities for them.
ASER 2023: What the data says about gender disparities in education
On January 17, 2024, the 18th Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2023, titled ‘Beyond Basics,’ was released by the NGO Pratham. The ASER is a citizen-led, annual survey that tracks school enrollment and learning status among children in rural India. Conducted since 2005, it remains the largest citizen-led survey in the country.
The 2023 data reveals that 86.8% of 14-18-year-olds are enrolled in educational institutions. However, a gender disparity persists, with fewer girls (28.1%) enrolled in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) stream compared to boys (36.3%).
While more girls are enrolling in school and staying longer, this does not guarantee they are gaining the skills, knowledge, or confidence needed for adulthood. Beyond basic reading proficiency, boys often outperform girls in various assessment tasks. According to ASER 2023 data, in areas like applied arithmetic, reading, financial calculations, and digital tasks, girls were more likely to leave questions unanswered. On average, the no-response rate across these tasks was 8.7% for boys and 13.3% for girls.
ASER 2023 also included a section on access to and use of digital technology, revealing significant gender disparities. Among those with access to a smartphone, 73% of boys use it for the short time needed to attempt digital tasks, while only 62% of girls can do the same. In rural India, fewer women have access to or are comfortable using digital technology compared to men, which could affect their ability to learn or perform digital-based activities.
Are government schemes making a difference?
According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2022, India ranked 107th out of 146 countries in women’s education, which includes literacy and enrollment rates in primary, secondary, and tertiary education. While India has progressive policies to promote girls’ education, their implementation often falls short.
The Balika Samridhi Yojana, for example, offers financial aid to girls from families below the poverty line, providing an annual scholarship and a post-birth grant. Similarly, schemes like Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana aim to support girls financially. However, nearly 21% of girls drop out of school due to unaffordable expenses, a figure higher than the 16% of boys facing the same challenge.
Even decade-old schemes like ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao‘ have underperformed, with funds often not fully utilised. Since its launch, the total budget allocation for the scheme dropped to INR 848 crore, excluding the financial year 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the INR 622.48 crore released to states, only INR 156.46 crore was spent, amounting to just 25.13% of the allocated funds.
Poor implementation at the local level also makes people unaware that these schemes exist. Many, especially in rural areas, don’t know about the programs. This lack of awareness and poor execution prevents the schemes from helping those who need them most.
The final thoughts
The path to actual progress in girls’ education in India requires more than just policies on paper. It is clear that without stronger implementation and greater awareness, even the most well-intentioned policies will fall short. Only by addressing the real barriers girls face, be it poverty, safety concerns, or societal norms, can one ensure that girls not only stay in school but also gain the quality knowledge and skills needed to shape their futures.
While education is an important step, it’s only part of the equation. There’s also another concern to address. Why, despite graduating, women still can’t find jobs and remain underrepresented in the workforce.
References
Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), 2023: Beyond Basics
The National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21)
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: A Critical Analysis
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content, which we define broadly to include media, policies, law, and history—encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and gender-queer individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
