India has made significant progress in narrowing the gender gap in education, but the gains have been less pronounced in economic participation and political decision-making, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2026.
The report places India 131st among 145 economies, with the country having closed 64.5 per cent of its overall gender gap. India’s overall score has improved by 4.3 percentage points since 2006, with much of the long-term progress driven by improvements in educational attainment.
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India recorded a 96.6 per cent gender parity score in education in 2026. The country has achieved full parity in secondary and tertiary enrolment, while adult literacy remains the main area of educational disparity, with a parity score of 82.5 per cent.
However, the report shows a considerably wider gap in Economic Participation and Opportunity, where India has closed 41.2 per cent of the gender gap. Women’s representation among professional and technical workers has improved substantially since 2006, but parity remains considerably lower in senior leadership positions.
In Political Empowerment, India has closed 24.5 per cent of the gender gap and ranks 67th globally on the sub-index. The report records gains in parliamentary representation since 2006, although women’s representation at the ministerial level remains relatively low.
India also trails several South Asian economies in the overall ranking. Bangladesh ranks 79th globally, with 71.2 per cent of its gender gap closed, while the Maldives ranks 90th and Bhutan 121st.
The WEF index measures gender parity across four areas: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. The 2026 report covers 145 economies and marks the 20th edition of the index.
Overall, the report indicates that India’s strongest gains have been in education, while larger gaps remain in translating educational progress into equal economic opportunities, leadership representation and decision-making power.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
