India’s ranking dips in latest global gender report
India Falls to 131st Rank in WEF Gender Gap Index 2025: India has moved down to the 131st position out of 148 nations in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF). This marks a two-place decline from the previous year. While there have been minor steps forward in economic roles and education access for women, the overall gender gap in India remains significant, with a parity score of 64.1%.
The report evaluates gender equality based on four main areas: economic opportunity, educational access, health outcomes, and political involvement.
Improvements in economy and education
On the economic front, India showed some progress. The economic participation score rose by 0.9 percentage points to 40.7%, suggesting slow but positive changes in women’s involvement in the workforce. The gap in estimated earnings between men and women also narrowed slightly, from 28.6% to 29.9%.
In education, the country’s performance improved to a strong 97.1%. This was mainly due to better literacy among girls and higher enrolment in secondary and tertiary education, showing that more women are entering academic spaces.
Political representation takes a setback
One of the most worrying trends is the fall in women’s political representation. The percentage of female Members of Parliament dropped to 13.8%, while women in ministerial posts decreased to just 5.6%. This has led to a drop in India’s score on the political empowerment index, now lower than it was in 2023.
India’s best performance in this area was in 2019, when it reached a 30% representation score. The current numbers reveal how deep the gender gap in political power remains, needing urgent attention.
Comparing with South Asian neighbours
When placed alongside its South Asian neighbours, India’s position is still low. Countries like Bangladesh (24), Bhutan (119), Nepal (125), and Sri Lanka (130) have ranked higher. Only Maldives (138) and Pakistan (148) are ranked below.
This comparison indicates that India’s gender gap is a concern not just on the global scale but also within the region, urging stronger social and legal frameworks to support women’s growth.
Global progress and the road ahead
At a worldwide level, the gender gap is now 68.8% closed, the best since the pandemic. However, at this rate, achieving full parity will still take about 123 years. Iceland, Finland, Norway, the UK, and New Zealand are the top performers.
Static GK Fact: The World Economic Forum was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It publishes the Gender Gap Index annually to measure the state of gender equality across the world.
Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table
| Topic | Details |
| India’s Rank in Gender Gap 2025 | 131 out of 148 |
| Total Parity Score | 64.1% |
| Economic Participation Score | 40.7% |
| Educational Access Score | 97.1% |
| Women in Parliament | 13.8% |
| Women in Ministerial Roles | 5.6% |
| Highest Ranked South Asian Country | Bangladesh (Rank 24) |
| Top Global Performer | Iceland |
| Global Gender Parity Closure | 68.8% |
| Static GK | WEF founded in 1971, Geneva |
