Gender Disparity in School Education: A Case of Punjab

Abstract

Education forms the base of human resource development, which in turn is quintessential for the economic development of a nation. But, disparities in educational opportunities on one basis or the other are widely prevalent in our country. Though the overall literacy rates have improved over time, but wide discrepancies are still prevalent among male and female literacy. This paper attempts to highlight gender disparity in education in the state of Punjab during 1991 and 2011. Analysis of gender gap in literacy has been done using tables and graphs. The technique of Gini coefficient has been deployed to measure the regional disparity in male and female education. Also, spatial analysis has been done using table and maps to identify leading and lagging regions and districts. The results will have useful policy implications for the government in Punjab.