A new Oxford University study finds 28 million Indian children are the first in their families to complete six years of schooling. While this marks clear progress in educational access, the research highlights that these families continue to struggle with multidimensional poverty, including malnutrition and limited access to basic services, which remains a challenge for long-term growth.
A new study from Oxford University has identified a significant shift in India’s human capital landscape, reporting that 28 million children have become the first generation in their families to complete at least six years of formal schooling. This milestone highlights a period of expanding access to education across the country, marking progress for millions who were previously excluded from the formal schooling system.
However, the report presents a nuanced view of this development. Despite the gains in literacy and attendance, many of these same children continue to live in what researchers call multidimensional poverty. This means that while schooling access has improved, households often lack access to basic life necessities such as clean water, reliable electricity, and adequate healthcare. The research underscores that educational success is not a standalone metric for well-being when these foundational services remain absent.
The findings also raise questions about the efficiency of current social policies. Researchers found that targeting entire households with broad welfare programs often fails because deprivations are not uniform. In many cases, one child in a family might be attending school while a sibling remains excluded, or one family member might suffer from malnutrition while another does not. This internal disparity suggests that social protection strategies may need to be more granular and individualized to effectively address hunger and poor sanitation, which significantly impact a student’s ability to learn and thrive.
On the regional front, India, alongside Bhutan and Bangladesh, has shown encouraging trends, with more girls transitioning into first-generation learners compared to boys. This stands in contrast to nations like Afghanistan and Pakistan, where gender-based barriers to education remain significantly higher. While India’s trend is positive, the persistent nature of poverty across generations remains a challenge for long-term socioeconomic stability. The report concludes that moving forward requires integrated policy approaches that combine educational support with robust nutritional and health interventions, rather than treating these sectors in isolation.