By Our Correspondent
Lucknow: The Yogi government is taking significant steps to empower girls from educationally backward areas, bringing them into the mainstream and fostering self-reliance. Through Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), thousands of girls are making strides in education, sports, and administration.
Highlights
- KGBV girls achieve excellence in sports and competitive examinations
- Yogi government prepares girls to take new role in the society
- Girls shine as footballers, leads in Gatka martial art
- UP sets target to upgrade all state KGBVs up to class 12
Notably, these initiatives are paving the way for girls to achieve remarkable success not only in academics but also in sports and competitive exams, equipping them to take on new and impactful roles in society.
Led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh government is making focused efforts to bring girls from educationally disadvantaged areas into the educational mainstream. As a result, students in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) are advancing steadily, demonstrating their talents not only in sports and quizzes but also excelling in competitive exams and earning placements in administrative roles.
Girls are shining at the state level too. Ms Nidhi from Amroha secured the 39th rank in the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission exam and was selected as an SDM, bringing pride to the state with her dedicated work. Ms Archana Devi, a student from KGBV in Unnao, represented the Indian team in the Under-19 Women’s Cricket World Cup. Nida Khatoon, a student from KGBV in Mahoba, also passed the NEET exam, obtained an MBBS degree, and is now making strides in the medical field.
In the 2024-25 state-level sports competitions, KGBV girls delivered outstanding performances. They earned the runner-up title in under-14 football, with four girls each selected for the national football team in the under-14 and under-17 categories.
Additionally, in Gatka martial arts, the girls won 2 silver and 2 bronze medals. Similarly, they secured one silver and one bronze medal in judo and wrestling. The girls also made their mark at the national level in Thang-Ta martial arts by winning 2 gold medals.
Girls in KGBV are being trained as guides to develop self-reliance and leadership skills. A request has also been made to the NCC Directorate to establish NCC units in upgraded KGBV schools, enabling the girls to pursue careers in the army and other defence services.
The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) was established in the year 2004-05 to provide free education and residential facilities to girls from economically disadvantaged families. Its main objective was to give girls from marginalized communities the right to education.
With the formation of the state government in 2017, this initiative gained further momentum. Efforts were intensified to provide quality education to girls from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, and other backward classes. There was also a concerted effort to bring girls from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, who had either dropped out of school or never attended school, into the mainstream of education.
Minister of State for Basic Education (Independent Charge) Sandeep Singh, stated that the government is committed to the upliftment of daughters from poor families studying in KGBVs. The government has set a goal to upgrade all KGBVs to the 12th grade by 2025-26. So far, 680 schools have been upgraded, providing free education and residential facilities for girls from grades 6 to 12. Currently, there are 746 KGBVs in UP, with a total enrollment of 81,280 girls, who are now able to advance their careers.
