- Why in news
- On 13 June 2026 the Ministry of Women and Child Development released a note on Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, citing a rise in Sex Ratio at Birth to 929 in 2024-25 and in girls' secondary enrolment to 80.2%.
- What it is
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a central scheme begun to check the falling Child Sex Ratio and gender-based discrimination. It works through advocacy, awareness and convergence among three ministries, not mainly through cash transfers. It is a lifecycle approach from birth to education.
- Launch date
- BBBP was launched on 22 January 2015 in response to the declining Child Sex Ratio.
- Implementing ministries
- It is a joint initiative of the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Education.
- Sex Ratio at Birth
- SRB rose from 918 in 2014-15 to 929 in 2024-25, per HMIS data of the Health Ministry.
- Girls' secondary enrolment
- Enrolment rose from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 80.2% in 2024-25, per UDISE data of the Education Ministry.
- Launch place
- The scheme was launched at Panipat, Haryana.
Don’t confuse with BBBP vs Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: BBBP is an advocacy and convergence scheme for the girl child; Sukanya Samriddhi is a small savings account scheme for a girl's future expenses.
Don’t confuse with Child Sex Ratio vs Sex Ratio at Birth: CSR counts girls per 1000 boys in ages 0-6 (Census); SRB counts girls per 1000 boys born (HMIS/SRS).
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Targets the root of gender-biased sex selection through behavioural change.
- Links birth, health and education through ministry convergence.
Problems
- Gains in SRB are modest and uneven across States; sex selection persists.
- Heavy spend on advertising and weak outcome monitoring have drawn criticism.
Way forward
- Strengthen enforcement of the PC-PNDT Act and track district-level outcomes.
- Shift funds toward education, health and safety of girls, with community engagement.
Put in your answer
SRB trend: SRB improved from 918 (2014-15) to 929 (2024-25) per HMIS.
Girls' secondary enrolment: Girls' secondary enrolment rose from 75.51% to 80.2% over 2014-15 to 2024-25 per UDISE.
- 2015Mains GS4 · Q14Handling village tension over sending girls to school as DDO
- 2021Mains GS2 · Q17Beyond education schemes, interventions to change patriarchal social attitudes
- 2015Mains GS1 · Q10Why tribal sex ratio favours women more than SCs
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.Beti Bachao Beti Padhao was launched in January 2015 in response to the declining Child Sex Ratio.
- 2.Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a joint initiative of the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Education.
- 3.The Sex Ratio at Birth figures cited for the scheme's progress come from the Census of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 6
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.Beti Bachao Beti Padhao was launched in January 2015.
True. Launched on 22 January 2015.
2.BBBP is implemented jointly by the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Education.
True. It is a joint initiative of these three ministries.
3.The release cites Sex Ratio at Birth data from the Census of India to show BBBP's progress.
False. It cites HMIS data of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
4.Per the release, national Sex Ratio at Birth rose from 918 in 2014-15 to 929 in 2024-25.
True. 918 to 929.
5.BBBP was launched mainly to address the declining Child Sex Ratio.
True. It was conceived in response to the declining CSR and gender discrimination.
6.BBBP was launched from Jaipur, Rajasthan.
False. It was launched at Panipat, Haryana.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has recently cited a rise in Sex Ratio at Birth from 918 to 929 and in girls' secondary enrolment to 80.2% as gains of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao over eleven years. Discuss the objectives and main features of the scheme, and critically examine the challenges in attributing these gains to it. Suggest a way forward.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.