Girls' Education Will No Longer Be Interrupted: Central Government to Open Girls' Hostels in Every District

The central government is working on a scheme under which girls' hostels will be built in every district of the country. This will directly benefit female students from rural, remote, and backward areas.

This is great and welcome news for millions of girls across the country. Now, no girl's education will be interrupted simply because her college is far from home or because there is no safe accommodation available. The central government is working on a scheme under which girls' hostels will be built in every district of the country. This will directly benefit female students from rural, remote, and backward areas who were previously deprived of higher education due to a lack of accommodation.

The government believes that if girls are provided with safe and accessible accommodation for their studies, they will be able to easily access colleges and universities. This scheme is considered crucial, especially for increasing the participation of girls in subjects like Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Major Step by the Ministry of Education

The Union Ministry of Education has prepared a proposal for this scheme and is preparing to send it to the Ministry of Finance. It is believed that the official announcement of this scheme may be made in the general budget of 2026. If approved, new girls' hostels will be built in approximately 700 to 800 districts of the country. These hostels will be separate from general women's hostels, so that better facilities can be provided, keeping in mind the specific needs of college-going girls.

Important Meeting with States

An important meeting of the Chief Secretaries of all states is scheduled to be held in Delhi between December 26 and 28 to discuss this scheme. Several important issues related to higher education will be discussed in this meeting. In particular, there will be discussions on how to increase the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 50 percent and reduce the number of female students dropping out.

States have also been asked to present their own plans to promote higher education at their respective levels. This will include suggestions such as running classes in two shifts in colleges, opening new colleges, and promoting online education.

Increased Participation of Girls in STEM Education

The Ministry of Education believes that many bright female students in rural areas are unable to pursue courses like science and engineering simply due to a lack of accommodation. The construction of girls' hostels will largely address this problem. When female students have safe accommodation near their colleges, they will be able to study challenging but career-oriented subjects like STEM without fear or worry. The government is also working on increasing the number of STEM courses and encouraging female students to pursue these subjects.

Emphasis on Preventing Dropouts

The meeting will also discuss how to prevent dropouts caused by economic, social, and infrastructure-related problems. Hostel facilities will particularly benefit female students whose families are hesitant to send them away from home. Under the National Education Policy 2020, the government aims to increase the enrollment of female students in higher education to 50 percent by 2035. Currently, this figure is around 29 percent. The role of girls' hostels is considered crucial in bridging this gap.