Gender no bar to math ability, finds study

A statewide baseline assessment conducted by Bengaluru-based Prayoga Institute of Education Research has found that gender does not determine mathematical proficiency among middle school students, challenging long-standing assumptions about boys and girls in mathematics classrooms.

The Mathematics Prerequisite Baseline Assessment, carried out during the 2024–25 academic year, evaluated 2,023 Class 6 students from government and rural schools across 35 educational districts in Karnataka. The study focused on foundational competencies required for grade-level mathematics and assessed performance across five domains: numeracy, fractions, pattern recognition, time and simplification.

On a 25-mark scale, the average score difference between girls and boys was just 0.55 marks — a 4.3 per cent variation — in favour of girls. Girls outperformed boys across all five domains, though the differences were modest.

In numeracy, girls averaged 3.42 compared to boys’ 3.24. In simplification, girls scored 3.64 against 3.45. Differences in fractions and time-related concepts were minimal, indicating near-identical levels of understanding. Overall, the findings underscore that mathematical ability is not inherently shaped by gender.

“Our findings clearly show that mathematics ability is not shaped by gender, but by learning opportunities and classroom practices,” said Dr Karuna Simha, Senior Researcher at Prayoga, who led the study. “When given the same conditions, girls perform on par with, and often slightly better than, boys.”

While gender gaps were negligible, district-level variations were striking. Average scores ranged from 9.31 in Mandya to 20.09 in Mysuru — a difference of over 10 marks on a 25-mark assessment.

Districts such as Mysuru, Kumta–Uttara Kannada and Chikkamagaluru recorded some of the highest averages, each exceeding 18 marks. Students in these regions demonstrated stronger foundational mastery across multiple domains. In contrast, Mandya and Bengaluru South reported lower averages, with students showing particular difficulty in time, pattern recognition and fractions. Several other districts, including Bangalore Rural, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapura, Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Hassan and Udupi, fell within a mid-range performance band.

The sharp variation across districts suggests that local learning environments, instructional quality and classroom practices play a far greater role in shaping outcomes than gender.

Prayoga, a Bengaluru-based education research institute working to strengthen science and mathematics learning through evidence-based interventions, said the findings call for a shift in focus. Rather than attributing performance differences to gender, policymakers and educators must prioritise systemic improvements in pedagogy, teacher preparation and equitable classroom conditions.

The data, researchers say, offers clear evidence: when learning opportunities are equal, mathematical potential is too.