Gender Budget Analysis in Adolescent Girls’ Education: Evidence from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) in Rajasthan

Abstract

The Union Budget 2018–19 proposed an overarching programme—Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SMSA) envisaging to treat school education holistically from pre-nursery to class 12, with a broader goal of improving school effectiveness and ensuring equitable opportunities and learning outcomes. The gender budget statement introduced by the Government of India let SMSA lay special focus on Girls’ Education through upgradation of erstwhile functioning Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) from class 6–8 to class 6–12. This paper analyses how the school education budget is designed in KGBVs to ensure enrolment and retention of adolescent girls predominantly belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, students residing Below Poverty Line, and with special needs. It also highlights the factors that influence the delay in receipt and optimum utilization of funds at the school level. The study was conducted in four districts of Rajasthan—Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer and Bharatpur. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to include a total of 18 KGBVs in the selected state. It was found that teachers and wardens are the core of a KGBV, and their role in quality improvement is paramount. Thus, regular training of teachers and wardens is imperative to ensure the quality of education and resource management at school level. Infrastructural quality as well as optimum utilization are other factors that play a key role in ensuring enrolment and retention of adolescent girls in KGBVs.