Parliament Question: Integrated Gender Education

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3459 ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025 Integrated Gender Education

3459. Ms. S Jothimani:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has plans to introduce any programmes to integrate gender education into school and college curricula in the country;

(b) if so, the details of such initiatives;

(c) the details of steps taken to promote gender sensitization among teachers and students at the primary, secondary and higher education levels;

(d) whether the Government is planning to conduct awareness campaigns to challenge gender stereotypes in educational institutions and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Government has conducted any national-level studies or assessments on the impact of gender education in reducing gender discrimination and violence; and

(f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (f) National Education Policy, at para 6.20, provides, students will be sensitized through this new school culture, brought in by teachers, trained social workers and counsellors as well as through corresponding changes to bring in an inclusive school curriculum. The school curriculum will include, early on, material on human values such as respect for all persons, empathy, tolerance, human rights, gender equality, non-violence, global citizenship, inclusion, and equity. It would also include more detailed knowledge of various cultures, religions, languages, gender identities, etc. to sensitize and develop respect for diversity. Any biases and stereotypes in school curriculum will be removed, and more material will be included that is relevant and relatable to all communities.Further, NEP 2020, at para 6.14, provides that the awareness and knowledge of how to teach children with specific disabilities (including learning disabilities) will be an integral part of all teacher education programmes, along with gender sensitization and sensitization towards all underrepresented groups in order to reverse their underrepresentation.

As a follow-up of NEP 2020, the National Council of Educational Research and Training

(NCERT) has developed the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF- FS), 2022 and National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE), 2023.

NCERT has also constituted Curricular Area Groups to undertake the development of syllabi and textbooks for school education. NCERT has integrated gender concerns into all its newly developed textbooks, from the foundational stage to the middle stage. The NCERT has made every attempt to remove gender biases and stereotypes in the school curriculum and has introduced gender-sensitive materials in age-appropriate grades. The textbooks, such as Mridang, Shehnai, Sarangi, Joyful Mathematics, Curiosity, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Khel Yog, Khel Yatra, and other textbooks, include content and visuals that are gender-sensitive and represent women, girls, and transgender individuals in unconventional roles and alternative professions.

NCERT has developed Teacher Training Material titled Training Material for Teacher Educators on Gender Equality and Empowerment, published in three volumes: Vol. I:

Perspectives on Gender and Society, Vol. II: Gender and Schooling Processes, and Vol. III:

Gender and Women’s Empowerment. Many of the themes resonate with the concerns highlighted in NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023. Some of the themes covered include Textbook Pedagogy and Gender Concerns, Creating Gender-Friendly Classrooms, Mental Health of Adolescent Girls, Life Skills Education in Schools, Gender and Violence, Nurturing Sports and Physical Education for Girls and Women, and other related topics.

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) regularly organizes training programmes for teachers on gender sensitivity as part of in-service courses, workshops, and orientation programmes.

Students participate in activities such as debates, essay competitions, poster-making, Nukkad Natak (street plays), and celebration of International Women’s Day, etc., to promote awareness. Self-defence training is imparted for all students of middle and secondary level.

University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified UGC (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher EducationalInstitutions) Regulations, 2015, which are statutory in nature and therefore, binding on Universities and Colleges. SAKSHAM Portal, developed to empower women by providing support and information on redressal mechanisms, and promoting gender justice and equality.

UGC has provided a toll-free number (1800-111-656) for registering grievances related to women and sexual harassment.

The guidelines titled “Basic Facilities and Amenities for a Safe, Secure Environment for Women and Women Cells (for sensitization, policy implementation, monitoring, and grievance redressal) in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs)” issued by the UGC, emphasize that providing a safe, secure, and violence-free environment, particularly for women students, is the utmost responsibility of institutions.

The Orientation and Sensitization Programme conducted under Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme (MMTTP), aims to orient and sensitize faculty members in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). The themes of the programme include, Gender Studies, Gender equality, Caste, Class, Gender in the classroom: examining bias in curriculum, textbooks etc.

The National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) Module 16: “Relevance of Gender Dimensions in Teaching and Learning Process” addresses gender concerns in school education. Recently, Department of Gender Studies, NCERT conducted a one-day sensitization program on integrating transgender concerns in schooling processes on 4th June, 2025 for teachers and faculty from KVS, District Institute of Education and Training (DIETs), State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs), and Regional Institute of Education (RIEs) of Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysore, and Shillong.

The NCERT has conducted a national-level study titled "Impact Assessment Study of Select Initiatives of Government of India for Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Gender Equality" in the year 2021-23. The study was conducted in nine states of India viz. Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Goa, Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Manipur.

****