• Dr.Mohd Amir
• Chering Durjee

The establishment of Government Degree College (GDC) Padder under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in 2019 has marked a transformative chapter in the education system of the remote Padder region, District Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. This paper examines the unprecedented rise in girls’ enrollment, emphasizing the role of GDC Padder in bridging the educational gap and promoting gender equality in higher education.Before the college’s establishment, parents, especially from poor and illiterate backgrounds, rarely allowed their daughters to study beyond the 12th grade due to logistical challenges and cultural barriers. Girls were often confined to household chores or early marriages, resulting in high dropout rates. With GDC Padder providing local access to education, these patterns began to change. Families from underdeveloped areas started sending their daughters to college, inspiring hope for a better future.This paper uses tools such as administrative enrollment records, semi-structured interviews, and surveys to present a detailed analysis of this transformation. While celebrating the rise in female enrollment from 25 girls in 2019-2020 to 102 in 2024-2025, it also addresses persistent challenges like limited infrastructure, lack of technology, and poor connectivity in villages such as Kabban, Ungaie, Chittoo, Tiyari, Ishtiyari, and Sohal. These areas still lack internet and call facilities, which significantly impacts education. The study concludes with recommendations for sustaining and expanding this progress.

Girls' education, Enrollment increase, Higher education, Government Degree College Padder, Kishtwar, Women's empowerment, Social change

"Empowering Futures: The Rise in Girls’ Enrollment at Government Degree College Padder, Kishtwar", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 5, page no.b233-b246, May-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2505127.pdf

"Empowering Futures: The Rise in Girls’ Enrollment at Government Degree College Padder, Kishtwar", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 5, page no. ppb233-b246, May-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2505127.pdf