11 years of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Read how the scheme helped curb female foeticide and improved the male-female ratio

The punya (virtue) of raising ten sons is achieved by raising just one daughter. As the Central government’s flagship scheme completes 11 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on 22nd January, that India’s daughters are creating new records in every field. In an X post, PM Modi shared a shloka from the Skand Puran, which says that a daughter is equal to ten sons. Whatever fruit a mortal obtains from ten sons, that same fruit is obtained from a single daughter. “In our country, where daughters are considered equal to Goddess Lakshmi, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign was launched exactly 11 years ago on this very day. It is a matter of immense pride that today India’s daughters are creating new records every day in every field. दशपुत्रसमा कन्या दशपुत्रान् प्रवर्धयन्। यत् फलम् लभते मर्त्यस्तल्लभ्यं कन्ययैकया॥,” PM Modi posted. कन्या को लक्ष्मी मानने वाले हमारे देश में 11 साल पहले आज ही के दिन बेटी बचाओ बेटी पढ़ाओ अभियान की शुरुआत हुई थी। यह बड़े गर्व की बात है कि आज भारत की बेटियां हर क्षेत्र में नित-नए रिकॉर्ड बना रही हैं। दशपुत्रसमा कन्या दशपुत्रान् प्रवर्धयन्।यत् फलम् लभते मर्त्यस्तल्लभ्यं… pic.twitter.com/OOnaRY6OKS— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2026 Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Beyond a slogan, how this initiative is creating a massive social impact Ever since its launch on 22nd January 2015, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative has played a significant role in addressing the decline of the child sex ratio (CSR), preventing gender-biased sex-selective elimination, including female foeticide and infanticide, and promoting the protection and education of girl children. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign operates as a tri-ministerial initiative involving the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Education. It focuses on multi-sectoral interventions, including awareness drives, law enforcement against prenatal sex determination, as well as incentives for education and empowerment of girls.  This initiative has significantly contributed in bringing a shift toward valuing girls, challenging the regressive norms and gender biases ingrained in society. Through means like school programs, media outreach,  and broader campaigns, the BBBP initiative has led to increased awareness about the significance of girls’ rights, education, and health, emphasising how girls play a crucial role in nation-building. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative has contributed to encouraging families, especially in rural areas, to invest in their daughters’ education and promoted the economic participation of women. This initiative has been integrated with other programs like Mission Shakti to improve women’s safety and empowerment, leading to a noticeable behavioural change as reflected in higher reporting of gender-based violations and increased community involvement in girl child welfare. The BBBP initiative has boosted institutional deliveries and antenatal care, indirectly aiding in the lowering of maternal and infant mortality rates by ensuring safer childbirths. Data shows that the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative has empowered millions of girls in the country, with more than 8.69 crore beneficiaries under various nutrition and welfare schemes. The national sex ratio at birth (SRB) has increased from 918 girls per 1,000 boys in 2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24. This increase showcases the collective impact of BBBP in raising awareness around the gender-biased practices that negatively affect the sex ratio. In addition, in 2014-15, 75.51% of girls were enrolled in secondary education. The numbers witnessed a substantial boost, with the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) increasing from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 79.4% in 2021-22. Educational initiatives under BBBP have been instrumental in this progress. As per the government data, girls’ enrolment in secondary education or Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) increased from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 78% in 2023-24. Meanwhile, institutional deliveries surged dramatically from 61-87% in 2014-15 to 94-97.3% by 2019-2020. By 2025, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative expanded to all 755 districts, and funding was prioritised to districts with SRB below 918 receiving Rs 40 lakh annually. More than 4.1 crore Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana accounts were opened by November 2024 for the financial security of girls. What makes the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative a game-changer is its role as a catalyst for gender equality in sections of the society where daughters were deemed a burden, son preference was the norm, and female infanticide a riddance, not a crime. The BBBP initiative has contributed to preventing numerous sex-selective abortions by enhancing the SRB by an average of 2 points annually in targeted areas, helping improve demographic balance. Higher education and improved health for girls translate into a skilled workforce. The partial economic impact of the BBBP can be noted as

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11 years of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Read how the scheme helped curb female foeticide and improved the male-female ratio

The punya (virtue) of raising ten sons is achieved by raising just one daughter. As the Central government’s flagship scheme completes 11 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on 22nd January, that India’s daughters are creating new records in every field.

In an X post, PM Modi shared a shloka from the Skand Puran, which says that a daughter is equal to ten sons. Whatever fruit a mortal obtains from ten sons, that same fruit is obtained from a single daughter.

“In our country, where daughters are considered equal to Goddess Lakshmi, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign was launched exactly 11 years ago on this very day. It is a matter of immense pride that today India’s daughters are creating new records every day in every field. दशपुत्रसमा कन्या दशपुत्रान् प्रवर्धयन्। यत् फलम् लभते मर्त्यस्तल्लभ्यं कन्ययैकया॥,” PM Modi posted.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Beyond a slogan, how this initiative is creating a massive social impact

Ever since its launch on 22nd January 2015, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative has played a significant role in addressing the decline of the child sex ratio (CSR), preventing gender-biased sex-selective elimination, including female foeticide and infanticide, and promoting the protection and education of girl children.

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign operates as a tri-ministerial initiative involving the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Education. It focuses on multi-sectoral interventions, including awareness drives, law enforcement against prenatal sex determination, as well as incentives for education and empowerment of girls.

 This initiative has significantly contributed in bringing a shift toward valuing girls, challenging the regressive norms and gender biases ingrained in society. Through means like school programs, media outreach,  and broader campaigns, the BBBP initiative has led to increased awareness about the significance of girls’ rights, education, and health, emphasising how girls play a crucial role in nation-building. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative has contributed to encouraging families, especially in rural areas, to invest in their daughters’ education and promoted the economic participation of women.

This initiative has been integrated with other programs like Mission Shakti to improve women’s safety and empowerment, leading to a noticeable behavioural change as reflected in higher reporting of gender-based violations and increased community involvement in girl child welfare.

The BBBP initiative has boosted institutional deliveries and antenatal care, indirectly aiding in the lowering of maternal and infant mortality rates by ensuring safer childbirths. Data shows that the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative has empowered millions of girls in the country, with more than 8.69 crore beneficiaries under various nutrition and welfare schemes.

The national sex ratio at birth (SRB) has increased from 918 girls per 1,000 boys in 2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24. This increase showcases the collective impact of BBBP in raising awareness around the gender-biased practices that negatively affect the sex ratio.

In addition, in 2014-15, 75.51% of girls were enrolled in secondary education. The numbers witnessed a substantial boost, with the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) increasing from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 79.4% in 2021-22. Educational initiatives under BBBP have been instrumental in this progress.

As per the government data, girls’ enrolment in secondary education or Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) increased from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 78% in 2023-24. Meanwhile, institutional deliveries surged dramatically from 61-87% in 2014-15 to 94-97.3% by 2019-2020.

By 2025, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative expanded to all 755 districts, and funding was prioritised to districts with SRB below 918 receiving Rs 40 lakh annually. More than 4.1 crore Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana accounts were opened by November 2024 for the financial security of girls.

What makes the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative a game-changer is its role as a catalyst for gender equality in sections of the society where daughters were deemed a burden, son preference was the norm, and female infanticide a riddance, not a crime. The BBBP initiative has contributed to preventing numerous sex-selective abortions by enhancing the SRB by an average of 2 points annually in targeted areas, helping improve demographic balance.

Higher education and improved health for girls translate into a skilled workforce. The partial economic impact of the BBBP can be noted as female labour force participation increased to 41.7% by 2023-24.

In Uttar Pradesh, SRB improved from 925 in 2015-16 to 939 by 2019-21, with incremental gains into 2025.

A major success of the BBBP initiative resulted in the reduction of female foeticide and improvement in the male-female ratio in states like Haryana. The BBBP combated female foeticide by ensuring strict enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT), raids on illegal clinics, and broader awareness campaigns against sex determination.

In 2014-15, Haryana was among the states with the lowest SRBs of 871-876; however, with the Modi government’s efforts, the state saw a dramatic jump to 923 in 2025, recoding highest figures in five years, going up by 13 points from 910 in 2024. The credit goes to stricter law enforcement, hundreds of annual community events promoting girl births, among other efforts. The Panchkula district led with SRB 971, followed by Fatehabad (961) and Panipat (951).

In Haryana, over 65,000 girls have been saved from being killed due to foeticide. Between the years 2015 and 2025, more than 1,375 FIRs were registered under the PNDT (Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) and MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) Acts. These cases were registered against medical practitioners and ultrasound centre owners, with official records indicating a sustained campaign even in the year 2020, when Covid pandemic was at its peak.

In 2025, the police conducted 218 inter-state PNDT raids in Uttar Pradesh, the highest, 89 in Delhi, 83 in Punjab and 26 in Rajasthan.

In Uttar Pradesh, SRB surged from 879-925 pre-2020 to 903-939 by mid-2020s as the BBBP initiative expanded to all 75 districts. Overall, 115 districts across the country showed a positive child sex ratio by 2022-23, with low-SRB states like Punjab and Rajasthan registering similar upticks.

While regional gaps and cultural biases may not have ended entirely, the success of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme shows that consistent efforts can bring real and positive change on the ground.

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