Gujarat model? 73.4% girls in age group 15-17 attend school, worst than all but one major Indian states

Worst performers: % girls, age 15-17, attending schools

By A Representative
Latest Sample Registration System (SRS) data, released by the Census of India this June, are likely to create flutter regarding the "claims" that Gujarat could well be the role model for the rest of India for its efforts to "improve" school enrollment, especially of girls. They are enough for policy makers to sit up and think about what has gone wrong while projecting Gujarat as a model.
With just 73.4 per cent of girls in the age group 15-17 attending school in Gujarat, the state ranks worst compared to all 21 major states, selected by SRS for comparison, with the sole exception of Rajasthan (72.1 per cent).
SRS data are based on the data collected in 2014, when Narendra Modi quit Gujarat as chief ministership to become Prime Minister after his 13 years' rule, characterized variously as an "example" of good governance.
The data reveal that the all-India average for girls attending schools is higher by more than 10 per cent than that of Gujarat -- 83.8 per cent.
The data come after more than a decade-long drive to improve girl child enrollment in schools in Gujarat through what is called the annual Kenya Kelavni programme, in which all ministers, government officials – IAS, IPS officials and other class one babus – seek to “ensure” cent per cent enrollment in schools.
The state which ranks the best in this regard is, like earlier, Kerala, with 97 per cent girls in the age group 15-17 attending schools, followed by 95.9 per cent in Maharashtra, 94.3 per cent each in Tamil Nadu and Telangana, 93.7 per cent in Jammu & Kashmir, and 91.1 per cent in Punjab.

Best performers: % girls, age 15-17, attending schools

Even the so-called backward states are found to have performed much better than Gujarat, with Bihar's 83.3 per cent girls in the age group 15-17 attending school.
Other so-called BIMARU states performing better are: Assam 84.8 per cent, Jharkhand 84.1 per cent, Chhattisgarh 90.1 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 79.2, Assam 84.8 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 79.4 and Odisha 75.3 per cent.
Even in the age group 10-14, except for two states -- Bihar (90.8 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (90.0 per cent) -- Gujarat is the worst performer, with 91.7 per cent of girls attending school. This is against the all-India average of 93.4 per cent. Here, again, Kerala is the best performer, with 99.5 per cent girls attending school, followed by Punjab 96.8 per cent and Kerala 96.2 per cent.
As for boys, Gujarat's performance is a little better, though worse than majority of Indian states. Thus, in the age group 15-17, out of the 21 major states, all other states with the exception for four (Odisha 77.7 per cent, Rajasthan 78.7 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 79.2 per cent and West Bengal 79.1 per cent) have higher proportion of boys going to school than Gujarat (91.7 per cent).
Even the United Nations considers SRS' "annual estimates" as "fairly reliable estimates" in the "intercensal periods." The UN says, "SRS estimates are generally valid and reliable for the country as a whole and for bigger states with more than 10 million population."
Based on samples collected across India between censuses, SRS data are part of the Census of India framework, which in turn is part of the Union home ministry.

Comments

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor* A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas* Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

Search This Blog