E-Paper
Addressing the dropout crisis among adolescent girls
This article is authored by Devendra Kumar, founder, Ladli Foundation.
India stands at a pivotal moment in its development journey. We proudly speak of demographic dividend, women-led development, and inclusive growth. Yet, on the ground, a silent crisis continues to unfold—the alarming dropout of adolescent girls from the education system, particularly after secondary schooling.
Having spent decades working closely with vulnerable communities through Ladli Foundation, I have witnessed this crisis not as a statistic, but as a lived reality. Behind every dropout is a story of lost potential, systemic gaps, and societal pressures that we can no longer afford to ignore.
The dropout of adolescent girls in India is not driven by a single cause. It is a complex intersection of traditional challenges and emerging threats.
One of the most persistent factors remains early marriage. Despite legal frameworks and awareness campaigns, many girls—especially in marginalised communities—continue to be pushed into marriage soon after adolescence. Education is often seen as secondary to societal expectations, and once a girl is married, her educational journey almost always comes to an abrupt end.
Alongside this, household responsibilities and economic constraints continue to disproportionately burden girls. In low-income families, girls are expected to take care of siblings, manage domestic chores, or even contribute to livelihood activities. Education, in such circumstances, becomes a luxury rather than a right.
However, in recent years, I have observed a more subtle yet dangerous shift—the rise of technology-facilitated vulnerabilities.
With increasing access to smartphones, many adolescent girls are exposed to technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including online harassment, cyberbullying, blackmail, and exploitation. In the absence of digital awareness and safeguards, these experiences often lead to trauma, social stigma, and eventually withdrawal from school.
Equally concerning is the growing influence of unregulated social media exposure, which is leading many young girls toward emotional vulnerability, distraction from studies, and in some cases, early-age relationships and marriages driven by misinformation and manipulation. What appears as connection often turns into coercion, ultimately pushing girls out of education and into cycles of dependency.
Yet, among all these factors, one challenge has emerged as perhaps the largest and most structural barrier to girls continuing their education—the digital divide.
India’s education system is rapidly transitioning toward digital platforms. Entrance examinations such as CUET, JEE, and NEET are now conducted in computer-based formats. While this shift aims to modernise and standardise access, it has unintentionally excluded a vast segment of students—particularly girls from government schools and marginalised backgrounds.
The harsh reality is that many of these girls have never had meaningful access to a computer. In several government schools, computer labs either do not exist or are non-functional. Even where infrastructure is present, lack of maintenance, connectivity, and trained teachers renders them ineffective.
I often ask a simple question: How can we expect a girl who has never touched a mouse to compete in a high-stakes computer-based national examination?
This is not merely an academic challenge—it is a question of fairness and equal opportunity.
As a result, thousands of capable and hardworking girls are unable to clear these entrance exams, not because they lack intelligence or dedication, but because they lack exposure. This leads to loss of confidence, limited access to higher education, and ultimately, dropout.
The digital divide has now become the new face of inequality—and if left unaddressed, it risks undoing years of progress made in girls’ education.
Addressing this crisis requires urgent, multi-layered action.
First, we must prioritise investment in digital infrastructure. Every government school must be equipped with functional, well-maintained computer labs, adequate number of systems, and reliable internet connectivity. This is no longer optional—it is essential.
Second, digital literacy must become a core part of education, especially for girls from middle school onwards. Familiarity with technology should not begin at the point of examination, but be built gradually through consistent exposure and practice.
Third, we need targeted interventions for adolescent girls, including digital training programs, mentorship, and safe learning environments. NGOs and community organisations can play a critical role in bridging this gap through last-mile implementation.
Fourth, there must be stronger awareness and safeguards against technology-facilitated risks. Digital empowerment must go hand-in-hand with digital safety, ensuring that girls are protected, informed, and confident in navigating online spaces.
At the same time, we must continue addressing traditional barriers—preventing early marriages, supporting families economically, and creating enabling environments where girls’ education is valued and sustained.
From my own journey—rising from extreme vulnerability to advocating for millions of girls globally—I firmly believe that opportunity can transform lives. But opportunity must be accessible.
When a girl drops out, it is not just her education that ends—it is the loss of a future leader, a professional, an innovator, and a change-maker.
India cannot achieve its vision of inclusive and sustainable development if its girls are left behind at such a critical stage.
The need of the hour is clear: We must bridge the digital divide, protect our girls from emerging risks, and create an ecosystem where every girl can continue her education with dignity and confidence.
Because when we invest in our girls, we are not just shaping individual futures—we are shaping the future of our nation.
This article is authored by Devendra Kumar, founder, Ladli Foundation.
