THE IMPACT OF POVERTY ON EDUCATION IN INDIA

AUTHOR – SATISH KUMAR* & DR. AXITA SRIVASTAVA**    

* LL.M SCHOLAT AT AMITY LAW SCHOOL AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH, LUCKNOW CAMPUS

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT AMITY LAW SCHOOL AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH, LUCKNOW CAMPUS

BEST CITATION -SATISH KUMAR & DR. AXITA SRIVASTAVA, THE IMPACT OF POVERTY ON EDUCATION IN INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (6) OF 2025, PG. 882-891, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344

ABSTRACT

 This research critically examines the profound and multifaceted relationship between poverty and education in India. Despite constitutional guarantees such as the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and a plethora of welfare schemes aimed at improving educational access, a large segment of the population—particularly children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds—continues to struggle with limited access to quality education. The paper investigates how poverty negatively impacts school enrollment, attendance, retention, and learning outcomes. It highlights how associated factors such as child labour, gender inequality, infrastructural deficiencies, and digital divides exacerbate the educational challenges faced by the poor. The study also analyses government policies, schemes, and non-governmental initiatives intended to mitigate these effects. Drawing from primary data, recent surveys, and case studies, the research identifies systemic gaps and proposes targeted policy recommendations, including increased budgetary allocations, conditional cash transfers, and improved accountability mechanisms, to create a more equitable and inclusive educational landscape in India.

Keywords:
Poverty, Education, India, Right to Education (RTE) Act, Child Labour, Educational Inequality, Gender Disparity, School Dropout, Learning Outcomes, Digital Divide, Government Schemes, Public Policy, Inclusive Education, Social Justice, Educational Access.