Dr. Dushyant Pradeep
International Women’s Day 2026 carries a powerful global message: “Give to Gain”. It urges societies to see that every meaningful investment in women and girls—of time, resources, attention or opportunity—returns multiplied benefits for all. Few areas demonstrate this more clearly than girls’ education in India. When a girl goes to school and continues into higher levels of learning, her life chances expand, her family’s well‑being improves, and the nation’s future becomes stronger and more resilient. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 offers a comprehensive, optimistic roadmap that turns this insight into concrete action, positioning girls’ education as one of India’s smartest and most strategic investments.
Girls In School | A Quiet Transformation: In recent years, India has witnessed a quiet but profound transformation in girls’ participation in education. Data compiled from UDISE+ 2024‑25 show that girls now account for 48.3% of total school enrolment, reflecting near‑parity with boys at the national level. At the primary and upper primary stages, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for girls exceeds 90% nationally, with several states achieving or surpassing 100% GER and a Gender Parity Index (GPI) around or above 1.0. At secondary level, the national GER for girls stands above 80%, with some states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu approaching universal secondary participation. These numbers tell a hopeful story: more Indian girls than ever before are entering and remaining in school. Alongside this, over 54% of school teachers nationally are women, providing girls with relatable role models in the classroom. Infrastructure has also improved significantly: more than 96% of schools have girls’ toilets, and a large majority of these are functional, while electricity and water access have expanded across states. Each of these gains represents a deliberate choice to give girls better conditions to learn—and each gain contributes to a more educated and confident generation. NEP 2020 builds on this foundation, recognising that the next leap lies in making sure that every girl not only attends school but learns well, progresses smoothly through the stages of education, and transitions into higher education, skills and dignified work.
NEP 2020| A Blueprint For Equitable, Inclusive Education: NEP 2020 places “Equitable and Inclusive Education” at the heart of its vision. It emphasises that no child should be left behind due to gender, socio‑economic background, language, disability, or location. Girls—and especially those from socio‑economically disadvantaged groups—are explicitly mentioned as priority beneficiaries of this equity agenda. The policy’s 5+3+3+4 structure is designed to ensure that every child, including every girl, receives strong foundational literacy and numeracy in the early years, followed by increasingly rich, multidisciplinary learning experiences. It calls for:
• Safe, welcoming schools with adequate sanitation, nutrition, transport and support.
• Flexible, multidisciplinary pathways in secondary and higher education so that learners—girls and boys—can pursue their talents and interests without artificial barriers.
• A focus on life skills, scientific temper, critical thinking and digital literacy, preparing young people for a changing world.
By embedding gender inclusion across these reforms, NEP 2020 ensures that girls’ education is not treated as a separate issue but as a central measure of the system’s success.
The Gender Inclusion Fund| Giving With Intent : One of NEP 2020’s most forward‑looking provisions is the creation of a Gender Inclusion Fund (GIF). The policy envisages this fund as a dedicated mechanism to build the nation’s capacity to provide equitable, high‑quality education for all girls and transgender students. The Ministry of Education has clarified that the GIF will support states in implementing priorities determined at the national level, focused on assisting girls’ access to education through targeted measures. These measures can include:
• Sanitation and toilets designed with girls’ needs in mind.
• Bicycles and safe transport schemes that make secondary schools physically accessible.
• Conditional cash transfers and scholarships that encourage girls to continue to higher grades.
• Hostels, residential facilities and bridge courses for girls in remote or disadvantaged areas.
The GIF embodies the spirit of “Give to Gain”: it channels resources where they can have the greatest transformational impact for girls, and in return, the country gains in terms of enrolment, retention, and long‑term social and economic returns.
Safe, Supportive Schools |The First Investment: Parents’ willingness to send and keep their daughters in school depends deeply on a sense of safety and dignity. Recognising this, the Government of India and state governments have consistently emphasisedschool safety and child protection guidelines for all schools. NEP 2020 reinforces these priorities, linking safe infrastructure and positive school climate with equitable learning outcomes. The expansion of functional girls’ toilets, regular water supply, and separate sanitation facilities has been a particularly important investment. For adolescent girls, these are not just amenities; they are enablers of continuity in education. Combined with initiatives such as secure hostels, safe commuting options and community‑supported vigilance around school environments, they create a protective circle that reassures families. Data show that primary dropout rates for girls have fallen to negligible levels nationally, and upper primary dropout has also reduced significantly. Continued attention to safety, comfort and dignity in schools will ensure that this positive trend extends through secondary and higher secondary education. Every rupee spent on making schools safer for girls is, in effect, an investment in keeping them on the path of learning.
Learning That Empowers| From Classrooms To Confidence: Beyond access and safety, the true measure of girls’ education lies in the quality and relevance of learning. NEP 2020 calls for a shift from rote memorisation to understanding, application and creativity. It encourages pedagogies that are activity‑based, discussion‑oriented and connected to real‑life contexts—methods that have been shown to benefit all learners, and especially those who may be the first in their families to attend school. For girls, such learning experiences build confidence and a sense of agency. When they conduct experiments in science labs, present projects in class, lead group activities, or participate in debates, they begin to see themselves as capable thinkers and doers. NEP 2020’s emphasis on art‑integrated and sports‑integrated education, along with problem‑solving and critical thinking, offers multiple avenues for girls to discover and showcase their strengths. The policy also foregrounds life skills, socio‑emotional learning, and values, helping girls develop resilience, self‑esteem, empathy and decision‑making. These competencies are vital not only for personal well‑being but also for future leadership in families, workplaces and communities. When we give girls learning that combines knowledge with confidence and character, we gain future citizens who are prepared to shape a more just and harmonious society.
“Investing in girls’ education via NEP 2020 transforms individual support into national prosperity, securing a wiser and more equitable future for all.”
Girls In STEM| NEP 2020 And The Innovation Dividend: One of the most exciting aspects of India’s education story is the rise of girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Studies indicate that women now form around 40–43% of STEM graduates in India, one of the highest shares in the world among large economies. NEP 2020 strengthens this trend by encouraging scientific temper, computational thinking, and digital literacy for all students. By promoting STEM participation for girls and supporting women in STEM through inclusive curricula, counselling and role‑modelling, NEP 2020 aligns education with the needs of a technology‑rich future. As girls gain confidence in mathematics, coding, robotics, data analysis and scientific reasoning, they become ready to participate in—and lead—the innovation economy. Every girl who pursues STEM contributes to India’s aspirations in areas such as climate resilience, health technologies, digital public infrastructure, space exploration and green energy. When NEP‑aligned schools and colleges give girls strong foundations and advanced opportunities in STEM, the nation gains a deeper and more diverse pool of innovators.
Teachers, Women Educators| Multiplying Impact: Teachers are the anchors of NEP 2020’s vision, and women teachers hold a special place in the story of girls’ education. With over half of India’s school teachers now women, classrooms are increasingly spaces where girls see themselves reflected in positions of knowledge and authority. NEP 2020’s emphasis on continuous professional development, improved working conditions and leadership pathways for teachers supports this positive ecosystem. Women educators often serve as powerful role models, demonstrating that education can lead to respected, impactful careers. When they encourage girls to ask questions, choose challenging subjects, and aim for higher education, they are effectively extending the benefits they received to the next generation. Training programmes that integrate gender sensitisation, inclusive pedagogy and digital skills ensure that all teachers—women and men—are equipped to support girls confidently. Investing in teachers’ growth is another way of “giving to gain”: when teachers are valued and empowered, schools become more nurturing and aspirational environments, and girls’ learning outcomes improve.
Higher Education, Lifelong Learning| Second Chances, New Horizons: NEP 2020 also reimagines higher education and lifelong learning, with particular relevance for women. It proposes flexible degree structures, multiple entry‑exit options, and recognition of prior learning, making it easier for learners to pause and resume their studies as life circumstances demand. For women who may balance education with work, family responsibilities or caregiving, this flexibility opens new horizons. The policy encourages open and distance learning, online education and credit‑based systems that allow women to upgrade skills or pursue additional qualifications throughout life. On International Women’s Day, these features can be seen as expressions of the “Give to Gain” theme: when the system gives women second and third chances to learn, it gains a more skilled, adaptable and confident workforce. Higher education institutions, under NEP 2020, are also encouraged to promote research, innovation and entrepreneurship, with attention to women’s participation and leadership. As more women pursue advanced degrees in sciences, engineering, social sciences and the arts, they carry forward the benefits of their schooling into realms where they shape knowledge, policy and industry.
From Data To Development|The Return On Investing In Girls: Multiple analyses underline that educating girls yields wide‑ranging social and economic returns. Girls who complete secondary education tend to marry later, have healthier children, participate more in the labour force, and contribute to more informed community decision‑making. At the macro level, higher female education and labour force participation are associated with stronger economic growth, greater social stability and better development outcomes. India’s own data show a steady improvement in indicators such as girls’ enrolment, retention, transition rates and teacher representation in many states. NEP 2020’s goal of achieving 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio by 2030 and near‑universal secondary education aligns directly with these broader development objectives. Each percentage point gained in girls’ enrolment or retention is not just a statistic; it is an investment in human capital that pays back multiple times over the life course. On International Women’s Day 2026, the “Give to Gain” theme resonates strongly with this evidence: when India gives its girls access to strong, continuous education, it gains healthier families, more prosperous communities, and a more dynamic, inclusive economy.
Towards 2047| A Girl‑Educated Viksit Bharat: By 2047, when India marks 100 years of Independence, the young girls attending school today will be leaders in every sector—scientists, teachers, farmers, entrepreneurs, artists, administrators and public representatives. NEP 2020 provides a positive, forward‑looking framework to ensure that their education is universal, inclusive, high‑quality and future‑ready. On this International Women’s Day, viewing girls’ education through the lens of “Give to Gain” offers a clear insight: each step taken to support a girl’s schooling—extra care from a teacher, a scholarship, a safe commute, a separate toilet, a STEM club, a mentoring conversation—adds to a reservoir of human potential from which the entire country will draw in the decades to come. NEP 2020 turns girls’ education into India’s smartest investment by aligning values, policy and practice in one direction: a classroom where every girl is welcomed, a timetable where her learning is prioritised, and a future where her aspirations are taken seriously. When India gives its girls the right to learn deeply, the freedom to dream big and the support to reach far, it gains a tomorrow that is wiser, more prosperous and more just for everyone.
(The author is a professional Physics Educator and academic content creator. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
