Gender Parity in CWSN Enrolment: Insights from UDISE+ 2024-25 Data

The UDISE+ 2024-25 data provides a critical lens into gender parity among Children with Special Needs (CWSN) enrolment, measured via the Gender Parity Index (GPI)  – the ratio of girls’ to boys’ enrolment, where 1.0 signifies perfect parity. Nationally, GPI for CWSN starts low at 0.705 in primary (classes 1-5), where 390,150 girls are enrolled against 553,362 boys, reflecting early barriers like identification biases or familial priorities favouring boys. It improves to 0.767 in upper primary (6-8), with 303,191 girls versus 395,353 boys, suggesting targeted interventions at this transitional phase. Aggregating to elementary (1-8), the GPI holds at 0.731 (693,341 girls to 948,715 boys), underscoring a foundational gender gap where boys dominate 57.8% of the 1.64 million CWSN slots.

Progress accelerates in upper stages: secondary (9-10) sees a GPI of 0.817 (146,098 girls to 178,843 boys out of 324,941 total), and higher secondary (11-12) reaches 0.856 (68,740 girls to 80,282 boys from 149,022), indicating better retention and support for girls as they advance, possibly due to scholarships or awareness campaigns under Samagra Shiksha. Overall for classes 1-12, the GPI averages 0.752 (908,179 girls against 1,207,840 boys in 2,116,019 CWSN), a modest uplift from elementary but still below parity, highlighting the need to sustain gains to prevent dropouts at critical junctures.

Gender Parity Index (GPI) by Levels of CWSN Enrolment: UDISEPlus 2023-24

State-wise disparities reveal nuanced patterns at the elementary level, where GPIs range from female-favouring highs to stark male biases. Arunachal Pradesh leads with a GPI of 1.202 (1,277 girls to 1,062 boys), driven by cultural or policy factors promoting girls’ inclusion, while Mizoram (0.873), Bihar (0.821), Chhattisgarh (0.847), and Madhya Pradesh (0.798) exceed the national average, often above 0.8. Conversely, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (0.569), Goa (0.568), Sikkim (0.594), Haryana (0.632), and Tamil Nadu (0.640) lag below 0.65, potentially linked to infrastructural gaps or under-reporting of girls’ disabilities in smaller geographies. Larger states like Uttar Pradesh (0.725) and Maharashtra (0.685) hover near the national figure, but absolute volumes amplify the equity challenge – e.g., Uttar Pradesh’s 129,935 CWSN girls versus 179,138 boys.

These trends align with NEP 2020’s equity imperatives, where gender-balanced CWSN enrolment is foundational for universal access, demanding gender-sensitive aids and monitoring to close the 0.25-0.43 gap from primary to higher secondary. Without it, girls risk higher exclusion, undermining holistic development.

Major Findings

• National GPI Progression: Starts at 0.705 in primary, rises to 0.767 in upper primary and 0.731 in elementary, then improves to 0.817 in secondary and 0.856 in higher secondary, averaging 0.752 overall for 1-12 – showing incremental parity gains at upper levels but persistent male skew (boys ~57% across stages).
• State Variations at Elementary: Highest GPI in Arunachal Pradesh (1.202, girls outnumber boys); strong performers include Mizoram (0.873), Bihar (0.821), and Chhattisgarh (0.847); lowest in Andaman & Nicobar (0.569), Goa (0.568), and Sikkim (0.594), with most states (e.g., UP 0.725, Maharashtra 0.685) near national 0.731.
• Gender Share Insights: Girls comprise 42.2% of elementary CWSN, rising to 43.0% in secondary and 46.1% in higher secondary; overall 1-12, girls at 42.9%, but regional flips like Arunachal (54.6% girls) highlight localized successes.
• Implications for Inclusion: GPI below 1.0 signals boys’ overrepresentation, risking girls’ marginalization; NEP 2020 calls for targeted closing of the gap through RPWD Act-aligned supports to achieve 100% GER by 2030.

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