Women’s education in Assam: Only 29.6 per cent women aged 15-49 years have 10 or more years of schooling

National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-20) data show that there is huge gap between literacy of women in the age group of 15 to 49 years and years of schooling completed by them in all districts of Assam. Percentage of women with 10 or more years of schooling is the lowest in Karimganj (19.6) while in Kamrup (Metropolitan) district accounts for the highest percentage of 49.1. An average 29.6 per cent of women in this age group in the state have 10 or more years of schooling against 77.2 per cent literate women. The NFHS refers to ‘women who are literate’ in this age group to “women who completed standard 9 or higher and women who can read a whole sentence or part of a sentence.”

Assam: District-wise percentage of women aged 15-49 years with 10 or more years of schooling

Source: National Family Health Survey-5

Women with 10 or more years of schooling NFHS- 5, 2019-20

Women with 10 or more years of schooling NFHS- 4, 2015-16

Women who are literate NFHS- 5, 2019-20

NEZINE Bureau