WOMEN LEADING INDIA'S ECONOMIC EXPANSION

The narrative of India’s economic expansion towards $5 trillion in GDP and beyond is increasingly intertwined with the remarkable rise of women’s participation across various sectors.

- PRANAV PAI

Since the economic liberalisation of 1991, the inclusion of Indian women in the national discourse has surged, marking a significant shift after decades of policy neglect and underinvestment in women’s education. The journey has been transformative, overcoming historical setbacks to unleash the potential of half the nation’s population.

In the decades following independence, progress in women’s literacy was slow. In the 1950s, women’s literacy stood at a mere 9 per cent, inching up to only 39 per cent by 1991. Since then, we have witnessed an unprecedented acceleration in women’s literacy rates, reaching 72 per cent in 2022. This progress is not merely a social statistic; it’s a powerful driver of economic and demographic evolution.

The correlation between women’s literacy and declining Total Fertility Rates (TFR) is undeniable. As literacy rates climbed from 43 per cent to 72 per cent, TFR plummeted from 3.4 to 2. India’s population is now below replacement level, an organic demographic shift primarily attributed to women’s empowerment through education.