Second Chances, Real Results: A Year in Review
For many women and girls in India, formal education ends before it ever truly begins. Whether due to early marriage, financial pressures or social norms, the chance to complete secondary school often slips away. Through Pratham’s Second Chance programme, these lost opportunities are being reclaimed.
This year, we are proud to share that over 9,700 women and girls across 12 states took their Grade 10 board exams with support from the Second Chance programme. 73% of them passed.
This is more than a statistic. It marks a meaningful shift in educational equity for women who have long been left out. For them, passing Grade 10 is not the end goal. It is the beginning of something more: access to further study, better work opportunities, and a renewed sense of independence.
The women in this programme are not typical students. Many are mothers. Some travel long distances to attend classes. Others study between jobs or after putting children to bed. What they share is the belief that education still has the power to change their lives.
Second Chance supports this belief with flexible learning, structured academic support and mentors who understand the realities of adult learners. It is a programme designed with dignity and practicality at its core.
This progress has only been possible because of your support. Together, we are enabling women to return to learning and to shape futures on their own terms. There is still so much more to do, but this year’s results show us exactly what is possible.