NEP 2020 and Women’s Digital Empowerment: Opportunities and Challenges for Inclusive Education in India
Acceptance: 09/09/2026
Published: 16/10/2026
Abstract
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 seeks to advance equitable access, Inclusive education, Digital learning and the development of 21st-century skills. Within this framework, women’s digital empowerment has emerged as a significant pathway to educational inclusion. Digital technologies can broaden women’s opportunities for learning, skill development, employment and entrepreneurship; however, disparities in connectivity, affordability, digital literacy and online safety continue to reinforce the gender digital divide. This qualitative study explores the opportunities and challenges of women’s digital empowerment under NEP 2020 and examines its relevance to inclusive education in India. Adopting an interpretive, exploratory and document-based approach, the study draws on policy documents, academic literature, institutional reports and selected case evidence, analysed thematically. The study finds that NEP 2020 offers a favorable policy framework for strengthening women’s participation in digital education and skill development. Nevertheless, infrastructural constraints, inadequate digital skills, social barriers, language limitations and online safety concerns may hinder its effective implementation. The study concludes that genuine digital empowerment requires more than technological access; it depends on digital competence, autonomy, affordability and safety. A gender-responsive approach is therefore essential to advance inclusive education through NEP 2020.
Keynote: NEP-2020, Women’s Digital Empowerment, Digital Divide, Digital Literacy, Gender Equality, Inclusive Education, Digital Education.
Author Name:
Dr. Sanjay Kumar ; Dr. Deepti Shrivastava ; Dr. Abha Dayal ; Susheel Kumar
Pages:
434-440
DOI Number:
10.5281/zenodo.23423079
Country:
India
Orcid:
Full Article
Reference
Agarwal, B. (2018). Gender challenges: Agriculture, property rights, and livelihoods (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press
Chakraborty, K. (2021). Indigenous knowledge systems and their integration in higher education: A critical analysis of NEP 2020. Journal of Indian Education Studies, 45(3), 25–38.
Chatterjee, S., & Singh, N. (2022). Women, education and empowerment in the context of NEP 2020: Opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Social Science and Development Policy, 9(2), 45–58.
Government of India. (2020). National Education Policy 2020. Ministry of Education. https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
Indian Knowledge Systems Division. (2023). Promoting Indigenous Knowledge Systems in higher education: Implementation framework. Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Kumar, R. (2021). Indigenous knowledge and sustainable development: Relevance in the age of NEP 2020. Indian Journal of Educational Research and Innovation, 11(1), 60–72
Mukherjee, A. (2020). Gender inclusion and equity in the National Education Policy: A policy analysis. Economic and Political Weekly, 55(39), 22–27.
NITI Aayog. (2021). Women entrepreneurship platform annual report. Government of India. https://www.niti.gov.in/
Pandey, S., & Gupta, P. (2022). Revitalizing local wisdom: Indigenous knowledge and women’s empowerment in India. Asian Journal of Development Studies, 6(2), 85–97
Raman, V., & Sharma, P. (2021). Indigenous knowledge and gender justice: Pathways through NEP 2020. Journal of Education and Social Transformation, 4(1), 14–29.
UNESCO. (2019). Gender and indigenous knowledge: Policy perspectives for inclusive education. UNESCO Publishing. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/
UN Women India. (2022). Empowering rural women through traditional knowledge and skills: A policy brief. New Delhi: UN Women South Asia Office.
World Bank. (2023). Closing the gender gap in education and skills development in South Asia. Washington, DC: The World Bank.
Writer Name
Dr. Sanjay Kumar ; Dr. Deepti Shrivastava ; Dr. Abha Dayal ; Susheel Kumar
Pages
434-440
DOI Numbers
10.5281/zenodo.23423079
Our Social Networks
AD EDUXIAN Publication is dedicated to advancing educational research and providing innovative learning solutions. We offer a wide range of services including publishing, editing, design, and marketing to support authors and researchers in their academic and professional endeavors.
Never miss any important news. Subscribe to our newsletter.
