Inequality in Educational Opportunity in India: A Case of Social Exclusion of Primary Education

Inequality in educational opportunities is of a growing concern in research as well as in the political discussion owing to the increased relevance of cognitive and non-cognitive skills in the labour market. Educational and social policies with the goal to reduce educational inequality and to achieve universalisation of education are thus central issues in the enduring political and scientific debate in developing countries. This study intends to address four basic issues in Indian context, viz., (i) to measure inequality in educational opportunities by estimating school attendance rates by income deciles groups, (ii) to test statistically, if low economic status is the key obstacle in achieving the universalisation of primary schooling, (iii) to formulate appropriate statistical hypotheses for testing regional and gender disparities; and, (iv) to check if empowering of adult women, in terms of education and workforce participation appear as effective means in improving school attendance rates of Indian children, particularly in the context of poverty. The study also finds that India is out flying to achieve the goal to complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015 and it is also away from ensuring gender equality, even in primary school attendance.