Gender Disparity in Educational Achievement in India
The primary objective of this chapter is to focus on progress of literacy achievement in India and factors influencing literacy rate are identified with regression models. A gender disparity index is prepared to analyse trends in differentials among male-female literacy achievement. India is now facing the challenge of achieving universalization of primary education to achieve status of a ‘literate country'. It is known fact that literacy and primary education are interdependent. A literate country will be a progressive-oriented country. It is observed that educational backwardness is due to various reasons like unsatisfactory progress of policy implementation, high level of illiteracy and dropout rates. Literacy rate is the best possible barometer to judge the level of educational awakening in a state, leading to a minimum capacity for self-learning. The empirical evidence substantiates the factors influencing educational achievement.