TRENDS AND PATTERNS OF GENDER DISPARITIES IN EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT IN ASSAM

Inclusive growth and social justice are essential determinants that depend on gender equality in education and employment, especially in socio-economically vulnerable regions like Assam (Sen, 1999; UNDP, 2018). This paper investigates the trends and patterns of gender inequality in education and employment in Assam which is based on the secondary data that include the Census of India, PLFS, NFHS and government reports. The discussion targets three main areas, namely, educational attainment, employment participation, and structural determinants of gender inequality. The results indicate that despite significant gains in female literacy and enrolment in primary schools, there are still unequal outcomes at secondary and tertiary education because of socio-cultural restrictions, infrastructural limitations, and economic considerations (Sharma, 2020; Ministry of Education, 2022). The participation of female labour force in the labour market is still much lower compared to that of males, and women are mostly involved in informal and low-paying jobs (Boruah and Das, 2022; Roy and Barua, 2022). The paper also finds a significant gap between educational progress and labour market performance, which is fuelled by patriarchal values, scarce career prospects, and institutional constraints (Kabeer, 1999). The article presents the argument that gender differences in education and employment are combined and based on structural inequalities. It highlights the importance of combined policy response in terms of educational retention, skills building, labour market inclusion, and gender-sensitive governance. The paper finds that gender equality in Assam should be pursued through long-term institutional mobilization and comprehensive development.