By: Dr. Rajkumar Singh
The Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav scheme was introduced as part of India’s broader efforts to address educational challenges faced by girls, especially in rural and marginalized communities. The initiative was launched on March 7, 2022, by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and UNICEF India. It was started by the Indian government to promote the enrolment and retention of girls in school, particularly those who have dropped out and it aims to bring back girls between the ages of 11 and 14 to formal education by providing them with the necessary support and resources.
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The key factors for its origin include: High Dropout Rates: Despite various efforts to promote girls’ education, dropout rates among girls, especially during the transition from elementary to secondary education, remained a significant concern. Many girls aged 11-14 were not continuing their education due to socio-economic factors, early marriage, or family responsibilities.
Gender Disparity in Education: India has made substantial progress in improving access to education, but gender disparity, particularly in rural areas and among disadvantaged communities, continued to persist. The scheme aimed to address this disparity by specifically focusing on re-enrolling out-of-school girls.
Alignment with National and International Goals: The scheme aligns with national initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and the Right to Education (RTE) Act, as well as international commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 5 (Gender Equality).
Partnership with UNICEF: The involvement of UNICEF India in the Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav brought in global expertise and resources, enhancing the effectiveness of the scheme. UNICEF’s support in monitoring, evaluation, and community mobilization played a crucial role in the initiative’s design and implementation.
Government’s Commitment to Girls’ Education: The Indian government’s commitment to girls’ education and its recognition of the importance of keeping girls in school as a means of empowering them and improving social and economic outcomes for communities led to the creation of this targeted scheme.
Thus, the Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav scheme was thus conceptualized and launched as a focused intervention to bring girls back into the educational fold, ensuring that they do not miss out on the opportunities that education can provide.
Objectives of the scheme
The objectives of the Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav scheme are centered around improving the educational status of girls in India, particularly those who have dropped out of school. The key objectives include:
Enrolment of Out-of-School Girls: To identify and enroll girls aged 11-14 years who have dropped out of school, ensuring they re-enter the formal education system.
Retention in School: To ensure that once enrolled, girls continue their education without interruption, addressing any challenges that might lead to further dropouts.
Awareness and Sensitization: To raise awareness among parents, communities, and local leaders about the importance of girls’ education and to change societal attitudes that may hinder their educational prospects.
Support for Continued Education: To provide the necessary support, including academic resources, counselling, and financial incentives, to help girls continue their education and succeed academically. Reducing Gender Disparity: To contribute to the broader goal of reducing gender disparity in education by increasing the enrolment and retention rates of girls in schools.
Empowerment of Girls: To empower girls through education, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to lead independent and successful lives.
Collaboration with Stakeholders: To work in partnership with state governments, NGOs, community organizations, and other stakeholders to create a supportive environment for girls’ education.
Monitoring and Evaluation: To establish mechanisms for monitoring and tracking the progress of enrolled girls, ensuring the effectiveness of the scheme and making necessary adjustments. The ultimate goal of the Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav is to create an inclusive education system where every girl has the opportunity to learn and thrive, thereby contributing to national development.
The scheme is a part of a broader effort by the Indian government to achieve gender parity in education and to ensure that every girl has access to quality education.
Benefits and prospects
The Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav scheme offers several benefits and holds promising prospects for the future of girls’ education in India. Increased Enrolment of Girls: The scheme directly targets out-of-school girls, leading to higher enrolment rates in schools, particularly for those who have dropped out during the transition from primary to secondary education.
Improved Retention Rates: By providing support and resources, the scheme helps ensure that girls who re-enroll in school are less likely to drop out again, leading to sustained education and reduced dropout rates.
Empowerment Through Education: Education is a powerful tool for empowerment. By bringing girls back into the education system, the scheme enables them to gain the knowledge and skills necessary for personal development and independence.
Reduction in Gender Disparity: The scheme contributes to closing the gender gap in education by ensuring that girls have equal opportunities to attend and complete school, aligning with broader gender equality goals.
Community and Parental Engagement: Through awareness programs and counseling, the scheme helps shift societal attitudes toward girls’ education, encouraging parents and communities to support their daughters’ educational journeys.
Prospects: Long-Term Educational Outcomes: The scheme’s focus on re-enrolment and retention is likely to lead to improved educational outcomes for girls, including higher secondary and tertiary education enrolment in the future.
Social and Economic Empowerment: With more girls completing their education, there will likely be a rise in the number of women participating in the workforce, leading to economic empowerment and a reduction in poverty.
Positive Health Outcomes: Educated girls are more likely to make informed health decisions, leading to better health outcomes for themselves and their families, including lower maternal and child mortality rates.
Scaling and Replication: Success in the Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav could serve as a model for similar initiatives in other regions or countries facing similar challenges, leading to broader impact on global girls’ education.
Integration with Other Schemes: The scheme can be effectively integrated with other government programs aimed at improving health, nutrition, and socio-economic conditions, creating a comprehensive support system for girls.
Monitoring and Adaptation: Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the scheme can help in identifying gaps and making necessary adaptations, ensuring that the scheme remains effective and responsive to the needs of the target group.
The scheme has the potential to bring about significant positive changes in the lives of girls in India, contributing to their education, empowerment, and overall well-being. Its successful implementation could lead to long-term benefits for individuals, communities, and the nation as a whole.
The writer is a youth motivator and former Head of the University Department of Political Science, B.N. Mandal University, Madhepura, Bihar, India.
