New Delhi, January 22 – Eleven years ago today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign, a initiative that has evolved into a powerful people’s movement across India. What began as a visionary effort in Gujarat has now become a cornerstone of national policy, dramatically improving girls’ education and empowerment.
The campaign’s roots trace back to Modi’s time as Gujarat’s Chief Minister. In 2001, he confronted stark realities: female literacy hovered at just 57.80%, nearly 39% of girls dropped out of school, and over 42,000 schools lacked separate toilets for girls. Undeterred, Modi rolled out the ‘Kanya Kelavni’ and ‘Shala Praveshotsav’ programs, aimed at shifting societal mindsets before changing statistics.
These weren’t mere policies; they were grassroots revolutions. Every scorching summer, Modi, his cabinet, and hundreds of senior officials – including 119 IAS, 94 IPS, and 68 IFS officers – fanned out to over 18,000 villages. For three days, they knocked on doors, pleading with parents to send their daughters to school. ‘Please educate your daughters for their future and our society’s,’ Modi urged, folding his hands in appeal.
Infrastructure followed conviction. In seven years, 42,371 toilet complexes were built exclusively for girls, 58,463 new classrooms added, and electricity reached 22,758 schools. Modi auctioned his personal gifts and donated his entire salary to fund these efforts. Enrollment celebrations turned into festivals – with drums beating, decorated processions, and entire villages rejoicing as girls entered classrooms.
Financial incentives sealed the deal. Under Kanya Kelavni, 55,181 girls received aid to stay in school. Vidya Lakshmi Bonds supported girls up to 8th grade, tablets went to 3,545 medical and engineering students, and millions received bicycles via the Saraswati Cycle Yojana.
The results were transformative. Female literacy surged to 70.73%, dropout rates plummeted from 38.92% to 7.08%. Long before it became a national slogan, ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ was a proven success story in Gujarat, proving that mindset change precedes measurable progress. Today, as the campaign marks 11 years nationally, it stands as a testament to persistent leadership and community mobilization.
