India Closes 64.5% of Gender Gap, Ranks 131st of 145 Economies

India has bridged 64.5 per cent of its overall gender gap, placing it 131st among 145 economies, even as the country's record on employment and political representation continues to lag.

The overall score has risen by 4.3 percentage points since 2006, with education accounting for much of that long-term progress. The gains suggest that access to schooling has been the most effective lever in narrowing the distance between men and women in India.

That momentum, however, has not carried evenly into other spheres. Jobs and positions of power remain the critical pain points, holding back the country's overall standing despite the advances recorded in education.

The pattern points to a gap between the pipeline and the payoff: more women are moving through the education system, but the transition into paid work and decision-making roles has been slower to follow.

India's position at 131st of 145 economies underscores how much ground remains to be covered, particularly in translating educational gains into economic participation and influence.