EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EDUCATION: A FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE ON MARGINALIZED GIRLS IN NEP 2020
How to Cite the Article: Subhasish Sinha (2025). Empowerment through Education: A Feminist Perspective on Marginalized Girls in NEP 2020. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research & Reviews. 4(3). 253-263. https://doi.org/10.56815/ijmrr.v4i3.2025.253-263
Abstract
NEP 2020 foregrounds equitable and inclusive education as a central pillar, emphasizing the inclusion of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs), including girls, through structural reforms such as the Gender Inclusion Fund, flexible curricula, and targeted interventions to reduce gender gaps in enrolment and learning outcomes This chapter explores feminist perspectives on inclusive education with a focus on empowering marginalized girls in the context of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It examines persistent gender, socio-economic, and regional disparities in access, participation, and retention in school education, highlighting the structural barriers faced by girls from marginalized communities. The chapter emphasizes the role of feminist theory and pedagogy in advocating for equity, agency, and social justice, and analyses strategies for creating inclusive learning environments, including provisions for girls with disabilities and other marginalized groups. By linking policy, practice, and feminist ideals, the chapter
underscores the potential of NEP 2020 to transform education into a vehiclefor empowerment, equity, and sustainable social change.Feminist critiques highlight that while NEP 2020 adopts a rights-based discourse of inclusion, its approach often remains limited by a single-axis understanding of gender. It insufficiently addresses the intersectional realities shaped by caste, class, religion, disability, and geography that deeply affect marginalized girls’ educational experiences.Feminist theory thus calls for a more nuanced, intersectional framework that centers lived experiences, challenges structural inequalities, and redefines classroom practices to dismantle gender stereotypes and patriarchal norms.
