A decade of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Progress, challenges, and road ahead

The data from the "Unified-District Information System For Education" shows that the GER for girls in higher-secondary education increased from 56.41 per cent in 2015-16 to 58.2 per cent in 2021-22

In 2015, the Union government launched the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme to address the deep-rooted gender disparities in India and ensure the survival, protection, and education of the girl child. While narrow in scope originally, it has since widened to tackle a host of other issues including menstrual health and sports participation among girls. A decade later, it is an appropriate moment to reflect on the scheme’s achievements, limitations, and future course of action.

 

The sex ratio at birth has long been skewed in favour of boys. A marked preference for sons implies that even as incomes and