Gender Parity Index (GPI) at various levels reflect equitable participation of girls in the School system. However, under SamagraShiksha – an Integrated Scheme for School Education (ISSE), bridging Gender Gap in School Education continues to be one of the major objectives. Gender Parity Index (GPI) for the year 2018-19 at different levels of School Education is as under:
| Particular | Primary | Upper Primary | Secondary | Higher Secondary | ||||
| Gender Parity Index | 1.03 | 1.12 | 1.04 | 1.04 | ||||
(Source: UDISE+ 2018-19 provisional)
The GPI indicates that the number of girls is more than the number of boys at all levels of school Education.
To bring gender parity in School Education, various interventions have been targeted for girls under SamagraShiksha which include opening of schools in the neighbourhood as defined by the State, provision of free text-books to girls up to Class VIII, uniforms to all girls up to class VIII, provision of gender segregated toilets in all schools, teachers’ sensitization programmes to promote girls’ participation, provision for Self-Defence training for the girls from classes VI to XII, stipend to CWSN girls from class I to Class XII, construction of residential quarters for teachers in remote/hilly areas/in areas with difficult terrain.
In addition to this, to reduce gender gaps at all levels of school education and for providing quality education to girls from disadvantaged groups, Kasturba Gandhi BalikaVidyalayas (KGBVs) have been sanctioned in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) under SamagraShiksha. KGBVs are residential schools from class VI to XII for girls belonging to disadvantaged groups such as SC, ST, OBC, Minority and Below Poverty Line (BPL).A total of 5930 KGBVs have been sanctioned under SamagraShiksha as on 30.09.2019. Out of it, 4881 are operational enrolling 6.18 lakh girls.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
