Girls' Education in India: A Story of Transformation and the Multiplier Effect
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Social Development (Education, Health, Women's Issues); Demographics (Sex Ratio at Birth, Total Fertility Rate, Infant Mortality Rate); Government Policies & Schemes (Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 1 (Society): Role of women and women's organization; Social empowerment; Population and associated issues.
General Studies Paper 2 (Social Justice & Governance): Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population and the performance of these schemes; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Essay: A very common and important theme on Women's Empowerment, Education, and India's Development.
Key Highlights from the News
The article argues that India has achieved a significant transformation in girls’ education over the last decade.
This success is attributed to making it a public movement rather than just enforcing laws, aided by strong political leadership.
The national scheme Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) led this change, inspired by Gujarat's Kanya Kelavani program.
Key Achievements and their Ripple Effects / Multiplier Effect:
Sex Ratio at Birth improved from 919 to 929.
India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) decreased to 2.0, contributing to population stability.
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) for girls decreased.
Educated women increasingly found employment in health, education, and STEM fields.
Educated girls becoming educated mothers creates a multiplier effect, improving the health and education of the next generation and helping break the cycle of poverty.
However, the overall female labour force participation rate remains a significant challenge.
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