Vol. 22, Issue 1, Jul-Dec 2026
Page: 20-29
A Snapshot of the Status of Women in India: An Exploratory Study across States
Nisha Majumdar, Sayak Sarkar
Received Date: 2026-05-20
Accepted Date: 2026-06-29
Published Date: 2026-07-21
Background: Extensive studies already examine the development status of women in developing countries in general
and in India, but this study critically explores the trajectory of women’s empowerment from a state-level perspective,
considering 16 Women Empowerment Indicators categorised into 5 broad indicators. The objectives of this paper are
to identify states with a double burden of underperformance relative to the national average and to identify states
whose performance has deteriorated over time.
Method: The study is exploratory in nature, using secondary data from NFHS and PLFS.
Result: The study finds some prominent states appearing multiple times in the worst performance categories.
Conclusion: Findings indicate Targeted policy interventions by central and state governments and other concerned
organisations/institutions in order to revive the development status of women across important indicators.
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