The foundation is there. Can we build on it?

"In 2015-16, the last year for which data is available, girls comprised 48% of the student population of about 300 million" was an obviously delighted news report. Starting at 25% in 1950-51 the proportion of girls has gradually increased and is expected to reach parity with boys in the next decade. "In the EU nations, 54% of higher education students are women; the corresponding figure in the US is 55% and about 54% in China." Although boys outnumber girls in technical education, such as engineering, girls outnumber boys in post graduate courses. While this is indeed something to celebrate, another survey showed that 13.5% of 15-16 year old children drop out of school. Girls tend to drop out more in certain states because of lack of parental encouragement and lack of facilities, like clean toilets. The official census of 2011 showed that the sex ratio in Indian population is 943 women for every 1000 men. According to the World Health Organization the normal ratio at birth should be 100 girls to 105 boys, the ratio becoming equal in adults because there is a higher death rate in boys. For instance, recessive disorders like hemophilia and muscular dystrophy occur almost exclusively in males, and while patients of hemophilia can be kept alive these days by regular infusion of Factor VIII, there is no treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In India the ratio is skewed because of abortion of female fetuses, although prenatal ultrasound for sex determination has been banned since 1994. Still, in states, such as Punjab, Gujarat and Haryana, there are fewer girls than there should be, so near parity in education means that almost all girls are going to school. Sadly, going to school and learning are not the same as the Annual Status of Education report shows that nearly half the students are unable to read or solve maths problems for students 3 years their junior. Then there is poverty. Studies in the UK show that students from poor families fall 3 years behind their peers from better off families. The difference in achievement starts right after birth as brains of babies whose parents talk to them develop much faster than those whose parents do not. Since this was observed as a difference in class one state in the US started a program where mothers from poorer families were encouraged to talk to their children with very good results. Class difference was proved to continue even in college students in the US In India the difference between illiterate poor and educated professionals is enormous, not only in being able to afford private schools, but also in being able to help children with studies. Even after achieving parity in education only about 27% of women work in India. What a waste.