Latest National Family Health Survey data shows the proportion of women in Odisha with 10 or more years of schooling rose significantly to 43.9%
OdishaPlus Bureau
The proportion of women in Odisha who have completed 10 or more years of schooling has increased significantly, rising from 33 per cent in NFHS-5 to 43.9 per cent in NFHS-6, according to the latest National Family Health Survey data.
The 10.9-percentage-point increase reflects substantial improvement in women’s educational attainment across the state. The gains have been recorded in all 30 districts, though the pace of progress has varied considerably.
Mayurbhanj recorded the greatest improvement, with the proportion of women completing 10 or more years of schooling rising from 25.1 per cent to 42.3 per cent—a gain of 17.2 percentage points. Kalahandi followed with a 15.8-point increase, while Jajapur registered a 15.4-point rise and Dhenkanal 15.1 points.
Sundaragada recorded a 14.7-point improvement, followed by Gajapati at 13.9 points. Cuttack and Nayagada registered gains of 13.5 points each, while Jharsuguda recorded a 13.2-point increase.
Significant gains were also seen in districts that had relatively low levels of women’s educational attainment in NFHS-5. Kalahandi rose from 26.5 per cent to 42.3 per cent, Gajapati from 22.5 per cent to 36.4 per cent, Mayurbhanj from 25.1 per cent to 42.3 per cent and Boudh from 29.9 per cent to 39.6 per cent.
The NFHS-6 figures, however, show a wide gap among districts. Khordha recorded the highest proportion at 56.3 per cent, followed by Cuttack at 54.4 per cent, Jharsuguda at 54.1 per cent, Jajapur at 53.4 per cent and Jagatsinghpur at 52.8 per cent.
At the other end of the spectrum, Malkangiri had the lowest proportion at 18.5 per cent, followed by Nabarangpur at 23 per cent, Rayagada at 24.8 per cent, Koraput at 26.8 per cent and Kandhamal at 35.5 per cent.
The pace of improvement has also been uneven. Baragada recorded the smallest increase, at just 2.7 percentage points. Malkangiri gained 4.5 points, Ganjam 5.3, Rayagada 5.7, Sambalpur 5.8, Kendrapada 5.9 and Jagatsinghpur 6.2 points.
The district-wise variation suggests that while Odisha has made significant progress in women’s education, some regions continue to face barriers to secondary-level education and completion. The relatively slower improvement in several districts may require closer examination of factors affecting girls’ continuation in school, including access, affordability, and social and geographical constraints.
In general, the NFHS figures point to a substantial expansion in women’s educational attainment in Odisha, while also underlining the need for more targeted interventions in districts that continue to lag.