Policy Update
Samiksha Muskan
Background
Launched in August 2004, the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) scheme was designed in response to measurable gender, rural, and social disparities in upper-primary education. Its target areas were Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs), defined using 2001 Census thresholds of rural female literacy below 46.13% and a rural literacy gender gap above 21.59 percentage points.
Of the 6,367 blocks enumerated in the Census, approximately 3,067 met these criteria. The urgency of the intervention was reinforced by the fact that 35.5% of rural girls aged 10–14 were not attending school, compared with 22.6% of boys, while only 19.7% of girls completed middle school compared with 35.6% of boys. Disadvantage was sharper among marginalised communities: reported dropout among rural SC and ST girls stood at 49.9% and 55.9%, respectively.
The scheme sought to provide residential upper‑primary schools (Classes VI–VIII) for girls belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), minority communities, and Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, recognising that poverty, distance, safety concerns, and social norms were key drivers of dropout among adolescent girls.
KGBV was initially implemented under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and later subsumed under the integrated Samagra Shiksha framework, which extended support up to Class XII in many states. The policy logic was straightforward: by offering free residential schooling, boarding, uniforms, books, and stipends, the state could reduce the direct and indirect costs of education and create a protective environment that enables marginalised girls to complete at least upper‑primary education.
Functioning
KGBVs are residential schools established primarily in EBBs, with each school typically catering to around 100-200 girls from Classes VI to VIII (and in many cases, extended to Class X/XII). Admission is open to girls from SC/ST/OBC/minority/BPL households in EBBs, with preference given to those who are out-of-school, at risk of dropout, or from particularly vulnerable groups.
In terms of infrastructure, the schools have hostels, classrooms, libraries, computer rooms, kitchens, and sanitation facilities designed to meet residential needs and ensure safety. Academic and support services include regular teaching staff, bridge courses for late entrants, remedial classes, life-skills education, and, in many states, vocational or skill-based components. Financial support takes the form of free boarding and lodging, uniforms, textbooks, and in some cases a small stipend or allowance to reduce household opportunity costs.
In terms of funding and implementation, KGBVs are financed through the gender and equity component of the centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha scheme rather than through a separate standalone central grant. The Samagra Shiksha financial norms provide recurring assistance of up to ₹60 lakh per year for KGBVs covering Classes VI-VIII, ₹80 lakh for Classes VI-X, and ₹1 crore for Classes VI-XII (DoSEL, 2022, Annexure II).
The grant includes manpower and other recurring operational expenses, while construction and major infrastructure are supported according to the State Schedule of Rates or Central Public Works Department rates. States and Union Territories prepare Annual Work Plans and Budgets, which are appraised and approved by the Project Approval Board. The Centre-State funding ratio is generally 60:40, 90:10 for specified North-Eastern and Himalayan States/UTs, and 100% central funding for Union Territories without legislatures. Implementation is decentralised: State Project Offices under Samagra Shiksha/SSA identify locations, manage infrastructure, and monitor functioning, while the Ministry of Education provides overall policy direction and funding.
Performance
KGBV has developed into a large national residential-school network. Official data show that enrolment increased from 607,771 girls in 2020–21 to 711,505 in 2024–25—a rise of approximately 17.1%. As of December 2025, 5,269 of the 5,639 approved KGBVs were reported as functional. The scheme continues to serve disadvantaged groups, including 193,302 SC girls and 183,440 ST girls reported in November 2024. (Ministry of Education, 2025; Parliament of India, 2025). NCERT’s National Evaluation of KGBV (2022–23) notes substantial enrolment gains and improved retention in many states, particularly where local administration has ensured timely infrastructure, staffing, and community engagement.
However, performance is uneven. As of June 30, 2023, out of 5,639 approved KGBVs, only 4,260 were fully functional, while 799 were partially functional and 580 were completely non-functional.These figures were reported in the NCERT’s National Evaluation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya 2022–23 and reproduced in contemporary reporting on the evaluation. This implies that roughly 1 in 10 approved KGBVs was not operating at all, and another significant share was only partially functional, limiting their capacity to deliver the intended residential and academic support.
Retention in the broader school system has improved, but transition after Class VIII remains uneven for KGBV students. National UDISE+ dropout figures are not KGBV-specific. In Gujarat, 6,577 girls were enrolled across 89 KGBVs in 2016–17, including 2,672 in Class VIII, while only 59 of 109 KGBVs had been upgraded to Classes IX–X. A small study also found that 20% of 150 KGBV graduates did not continue after Class VIII, although this finding is not nationally representative. These figures point to a post-Class VIII transition gap rather than a uniform national dropout rate.
Impact
KGBV has had several important impacts on girls’ education and empowerment. In terms of enrollment and access, KGBV has expanded institutional access to residential schooling for girls from marginalised communities in Educationally Backward Blocks. Official administrative data indicate that enrolment increased from approximately 669,070 girls in 2022–23 to 691,304 in 2023–24, an increase of 22,234 girls, or about 3.3%. However, access remains uneven. As of June 30, 2023, 5,639 KGBVs had been sanctioned, with 6.88 lakh girls enrolled; the NCERT evaluation reported that 4,260 were fully functional, 799 partially functional, and 580 non-functional.
With regard to retention, free boarding, meals, and academic support reduce the costs and mobility barriers associated with girls’ schooling. For the broader population of girls in India, the overall retention rate at the elementary level (Classes I–VIII) was 84.2% in 2024–25 (Ministry of Education, 2026). This figure covers all schools and should not be described as the retention rate of KGBV students. Separately, a Ministry of Education case study reported that 88% of girls in the KGBV programme were transitioning from elementary to secondary education; this is a case-study figure and should not be generalised nationally (Ministry of Education, 2017). These figures should be interpreted cautiously because transition does not equal secondary completion and some data are case-specific.
As for learning and aspiration effects, the NCERT evaluation examined enrolment, transition, learning achievement, and life skills across 254 KGBVs in 30 States and Union Territories. KGBVs provide exposure to continued education, life skills, and vocational opportunities, while state-level examples show that residential support can help girls continue into Classes IX and X. Nevertheless, systematic national alumni-tracking data remain limited.
Finally, on social protection, residential schooling can protect girls from some risks associated with distance, unsafe travel, early marriage, domestic work, and poverty by keeping them in a supervised educational setting. However, there is no single national statistic proving the number of marriages or labour exclusions prevented by KGBV. The protective impact depends on functioning hostels, adequate female staff, sanitation, counselling, safeguarding, and grievance mechanisms.
Emerging Issues
Despite its successes, several emerging issues threaten KGBV’s ability to fully address the Class 8 dropout challenge. The first concerns non-functional and partially functional schools. The existence of 580 non-functional and 799 partially functional KGBVs (as of mid-2023) indicates gaps in planning, infrastructure completion, staffing, or local demand mobilisation. Girls in these areas either do not benefit from KGBV at all or receive a diluted version of the intended residential support.
The second issue relates to infrastructure and residential quality. The NCERT National Evaluation of KGBV found that many schools were operating from temporary or rented premises while permanent buildings were under construction. In some locations, rented buildings were too small for the number of residents; the evaluation reported cases of two girls sharing a bed, overcrowded rooms, classrooms doubling as dormitories, and insufficient space for furniture and movement. It also identified sanitation and water-supply problems in some States, including situations where girls had to go outside to defecate, creating safety concerns. Small buildings made it difficult to separate toilet and bathing facilities, while poor ventilation and inadequate hygiene were associated with skin infections in some KGBVs.
Third, teacher shortages and pedagogical gaps pose a challenge. NCERT’s National Evaluation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya 2022–23 identifies concerns about teacher availability, academic support, vocational instruction, and teacher training. It recommends strengthening interactive pedagogy, ICT use, bridge courses, remedial teaching, and training on adolescent needs.[nic] Teacher–student ratios also vary considerably across States. In 2024–25, they ranged from 1:50 in Jharkhand, 1:39 in Bihar, and 1:33 in Nagaland to 1:10 in Assam and 1:16 in Telangana. These figures are state-level administrative data, not a national KGBV average. Such staffing gaps may weaken academic support, although the cited sources do not directly prove that they caused dropout.
Fourth, social and familial pressures around Class 8 remain significant. Even within KGBVs, girls face family-level pressures around early marriage, household responsibilities, and the perceived “sufficiency” of upper-primary education. Studies show that poverty, early marriage, distance to secondary schools, and parental attitudes remain critical reasons why girls do not continue beyond Class VIII.
Fifth, the transition to secondary education is not seamless. KGBV was originally designed for Classes VI–VIII; while many states have extended support to secondary levels, transition pathways are not seamless. Girls may complete Class VIII in a KGBV but then face long commutes, lack of residential options at the secondary level, or social resistance to continuing education.
Finally, there is considerable heterogeneity across states and communities. KGBV implementation differs across States and districts in terms of school functionality, enrollment, staffing, infrastructure, participation, retention, and transition to secondary education. While some States have extended KGBVs to Classes X or XII and provide transport, counselling, hostel, and vocational support, others face non-functional schools, teacher shortages, inadequate facilities, and weak post-Class VIII transition arrangements. Outcomes also vary among girls belonging to SC, ST, and Muslim communities, especially in remote, tribal, minority-concentrated, and conflict-affected areas. Poverty, distance, language barriers, early marriage, household responsibilities, and limited access to secondary schools can compound educational disadvantages.
Way Forward
To strengthen KGBV’s contribution to eliminating the Class 8 dropout gap for marginalised girls, the following policy actions are critical:
1. Ensure full functionality and quality of all approved KGBVs
Conduct a time‑bound audit of non‑functional and partially functional KGBVs, identifying bottlenecks (infrastructure, staffing, local demand) and remedying them.
Prioritise completion of hostel infrastructure, sanitation, safe drinking water, and secure boundaries, given their direct link to girls’ retention.
2. Strengthen residential and protective environment
Upgrade hostels to meet child‑friendly, gender‑sensitive standards, including adequate sleeping space, lighting, lockable rooms, and grievance redressal mechanisms. Institutionalise counselling, life‑skills education, and protection protocols to address issues like harassment, mental health, and socio‑emotional challenges that can trigger dropout.
3. Address teacher gaps and improve pedagogy
Fill teacher vacancies, especially in remote KGBVs, through targeted recruitment, incentives, and local hiring where appropriate. Invest in teacher training focused on adolescent girls’ learning needs, remedial support, and inclusive pedagogy to reduce repetition and failure, which are known dropout precursors.
4. Build explicit transition pathways to secondary education
Integrate KGBV more tightly with secondary and higher secondary residential options (e.g., hostels near secondary schools, extension of KGBV‑like support to Classes IX–XII). Provide bridge courses, career counselling, and information on scholarships to help girls and families see clear benefits in continuing beyond Class 8.
5. Deepen community engagement and address social norms
Work with parents, local leaders, and self‑help groups to shift norms around girls’ education, early marriage, and the value of secondary schooling. Use KGBV alumni as role models and mentors to demonstrate the long‑term benefits of education, especially in communities where early marriage remains prevalent.
6. Enhance data and monitoring on dropout and transition
Use UDISE+ and state MIS to track not just enrolment, but cohort‑wise retention, transition to secondary, and reasons for dropout among KGBV girls. Commission periodic independent evaluations (like NCERT’s) that focus specifically on Class 8 completion and transition outcomes for different social groups.
7. Tailor support for the most vulnerable
Identify and prioritise SC/ST/minority girls in remote or conflict‑affected areas for enhanced support, including higher stipends, transport for secondary schooling, and targeted counselling. Integrate KGBV with broader social protection schemes (e.g., conditional cash transfers, health and nutrition programmes) to address the multidimensional nature of dropout.
References
Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India. (n.d.). Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV). Samagra Shiksha. Retrieved September 29, 2026, from https://samagra.education.gov.in/kgbv.html
Ministry of Education, Government of India. (2023). National Education Policy 2020: Implementation of Samagra Shiksha—Framework for implementation. https://samagra.education.gov.in/docs/ss_implementation.pdf
National Council of Educational Research and Training. (2013). A study on implementation of KGBV scheme in the Muslim concentrated districts. Department of Women’s Studies. https://ncert.nic.in/dgs/pdf/Research_KGBV_2013_report.pdf
National Council of Educational Research and Training. (2024). National evaluation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya: 2022–2023. Department of Gender Studies. https://ncert.nic.in/dgs/pdf/KGBV_Report2022-2023.pdf
National Council of Educational Research and Training. (n.d.). Gender education: National evaluation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. https://ncert.nic.in/division/der/pdf/Gender_Education.pdf
Ministry of Education, Government of India. (2017). Case study-1: Tracking of girls after Class 8 and role models. Department of School Education and Literacy. https://repository.education.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/best-practices-_-ge-kgbv.pdf
Ministry of Education, Government of India. (2017). Documentation of KGBVs: Best practices and success stories. Department of School Education and Literacy. https://repository.education.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/documentation-of-kgbvs–best-practice-and-success-stories.pdf
Ministry of Education, Government of India. (2018). Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. School Education Shagun Repository. https://repository.education.gov.in/ssa-components/kasturba-gandhi-balika-vidyalayas/
Ministry of Education, Government of India. (2024). UDISE+ 2023–24: Report on school education in India. Department of School Education and Literacy. https://dashboard.udiseplus.gov.in/report-new-v.6-demo2025/static/media/UDISE%2B2023_24_Booklet_existing.309eabf9e4889db93bcb.pdf
Ministry of Education, Government of India. (2025). UDISE+ 2024–25: Report on school education in India. Department of School Education and Literacy. https://dashboard.udiseplus.gov.in/report2026/static/media/UDISE%2B2024_25_Booklet_existing.118ba29d4773e6372f72.pdf
Ministry of Education, Government of India. (n.d.). UDISE+ dashboard. Retrieved September 29, 2026, from https://dashboard.udiseplus.gov.in/
National Council of Educational Research and Training. (2018). Strategies adopted for enrolling girls in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. Journal of Indian Education. https://ejournals.ncert.gov.in/index.php/jie/article/download/1944/1863/3560
National Council of Educational Research and Training. (n.d.). School dropout and girls’ education: Research and evaluation resources. https://ncert.nic.in/
Parliament of India. (2024). Unstarred question no. 1164: School education indicators. Digital Sansad. https://sansad.in/getFile/annex/269/AU1164_Ve3Sfq.pdf?source=pqars
Press Trust of India. (2024, July 30). Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas review notes lack of teachers and infrastructure gaps. The Week. https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2024/07/30/del112-moe-kasturba-vidyalaya-report.html
Samagra Shiksha, Gujarat. (n.d.). Impact of KGBVs on girls’ education and retention. https://samagrashiksha.ssagujarat.org/document/3__Impact_of_KGBVs_on%20Girls_Education_and_Retention.pdf
Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India. (2023). Revised guidelines for implementation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs). Odisha School Education Programme Authority. https://osepa.odisha.gov.in/upload/files/New-Revised-KGBV-Guideline.pdf
About the Contributor
Samiksha Muskan is a Research and Editorial Intern at IMPRI. She is currently pursuing a BA (Honors) with Research in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College for Women at Delhi University.
Acknowledgement
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to IMPRI for giving me this opportunity to write Policy Update and its intellectual encouraging environment. I would especially like to acknowledge Sandra Menon, Angela and Raushan Raj for giving valuable feedback and review.
Disclaimer
All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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