Gender Norms and Self-Concept in India 

Gender norms refer to the collective cultural beliefs concerning how men and women should act and behave. Such norms, which are usually based on stereotypes, dictate, say, that women are supposed to be caring and emotional, and men are dominant breadwinners. Conversely, when we refer to self-concept, various studies and theories indicate that the life experiences, ideas, beliefs and perceptions that a person has about himself (self-identity) in the physical, social and moral environments. The combination of the two concepts justifies why individuals are not the same as each other, that is, in terms of society and culture. Men are normally regarded as the providers and decision makers, and women are supposed to take care of the children and be housewives.  

In India, both modern and traditional societies place strong emphasis on gender norms and hold clear ideas about how gender should be perceived. As an example, Gaurrika Bhandarri (2024) mentions that in India, men are supposed to be the breadwinners, whereas women are perceived as homemakers, and families tend to raise boys more freely, whereas they limit girls’ movement.

These tendencies are affirmed by large surveys: nearly 90 per cent of Indians believe that a wife must always obey her husband. These norms provide young people with quite dissimilar identity models: girls can feel that their main task is to take care of the family, and boys can be under pressure to become successful earners. These expectations affect the self-concept (how they perceive themselves) of everyone at an early age as they grow up. 

Traditional Norms and Family Structure 

In much of India, traditional cultural and religious practices value sons over daughters. For example, a majority of Indians believe sons, not daughters, should perform parents’ funeral rites (given religious norms). Daughters are often expected to marry out and join their husbands’ families, whereas sons are expected to support and live with their parents (often paying no dowry). Such beliefs underlie persistent son preference, which even today leads some families to favour boys (through sex-selective practices) despite laws against it. Though declining in recent years, India’s sex ratio at birth has historically been skewed by this preference.

Family structures and Lineage

Joint family structures and patriarchal lineage traditions further reinforce norms: decision-making typically rests with the senior male (father or grandfather), while women’s roles centre on caregiving and home management. A rural college study in West Bengal found 88% of male students and 67% of female students still endorsed the stereotype that “women should be caring and emotional but less dominating”. About 80% of rural male students even said women’s social roles should be traditional. These ingrained views limit girls’ opportunities (e.g. in education or work) and define their self-concept early on.

As one report observes, “the traditional and patriarchal view of society places more importance on males and less privilege on females in terms of education, mobility, healthcare, [and] work”. Girls raised in such environments internalise restrictive expectations, learning from family and elders to adopt a self-image of vulnerability or dependency. Indeed, researchers note that this upbringing yields stereotypes in girls’ self-perception, making them feel  “vulnerable, incompetent and inferior,” and lowering their overall self-esteem. 

In rural India, these norms remain especially strong. Women’s worth is often tied to household duties and obedience; girls may drop out of school early to help at home or marry. For example, one rural student said, “I am thankful that my parents are allowing me to study, as a lot of parents don’t let their girls do that”. Many rural girls identify their sense of self primarily through family roles: being dutiful daughters and future wives, caring for parents, and upholding family honour. In contrast, their urban counterparts more often include personal interests or career aspirations in their self-concept. 

Education and Media Influence 

Schools, families, and media are key agents in shaping gender identities and expectations. While education has the potential to challenge stereotypes, it can also reinforce them. For many girls, school life includes additional burdens—some are pressured into early marriage or domestic work, leading to increased dropout rates. Recognising these challenges, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 made gender inclusion a priority. One major initiative is the Gender Inclusion Fund, created to ensure equal access to quality education for all students, especially girls and members of the transgender community.

To keep girls in school, the government has introduced various support measures, such as free uniforms, textbooks, and the establishment of residential schools like Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. These initiatives aim to reduce barriers and encourage girls to continue their education. When gender equality is critically addressed in classrooms, it can empower girls, boosting their self-confidence and expanding their career and life aspirations (Ministry of Education, 2023).

Media’s Role in Reinforcing Gender Stereotypes

Beyond schools and families, the media—particularly television and advertising—plays a powerful role in shaping gender norms. Research consistently shows that Indian advertisements tend to portray women in limited roles—confined to the domestic sphere or associated with beauty and caregiving. In contrast, men are more often depicted as decision-makers or professionals.

A study by UNICEF and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media found that female characters in Indian ads spend most of their screen time promoting domestic products, while men dominate scenes involving choices or authority. These representations subtly but strongly suggest that a woman’s place is in the home, and her value lies in appearance and servitude.

Such portrayals can have a lasting impact on young girls’ self-image. When repeatedly exposed to these messages, girls may begin to question their own capabilities and internalise the idea that their worth depends on conforming to traditional roles. UNICEF warns that such stereotyping undermines girls’ confidence, limits their aspirations, and distorts their understanding of their potential and value in society.

Rural vs. Urban Differences 

Gender norms in India differ, especially in villages and urban centres. Traditions are also more intense in rural areas, and they change at a slower rate. The author notes that the countryside remains much more conservative in terms of gender roles. As an example, country girls might be conditioned to work early, looking after other children or elder members and getting married early as soon as they leave school to affirm an important self-image that is mainly family-based. Conversely, the street is experiencing certain changes in the urban and cosmopolitan settings: education, economic potential, and exposure to new thoughts are slowly altering expectations.

There are more women at work in the city, and more women are becoming highly educated; thus, young people in the city can develop an independent self-image. But still, there are a great number of stereotypes also in cities. In general, growing up in either a village or a city could determine whether the self-concept will be constructed within the frames of the traditional family roles or the frame of various options (Bhandarri, 2024; Patel et al., 2021). 

Youth Perspectives and Shifts 

With almost 70 per cent of the youth residing in the rural part of India (Census 2021), the spirit of shifting the gender perception is among young people. Messages of equality are being conveyed more and more by schools, NGOs and media campaigns that are aimed at young people. As a large survey has determined, once armed with gender-equity education, boys and girls can change their attitude significantly, which, in the long term, leads to changes in self-concept. 

This change is highlighted by recent studies. In a survey conducted among 16–19-year-old participants in rural Maharashtra, girls fared much better than boys on the parameters of gender equality, knowledge and attitudes. The authors indicate that discrimination should be minimised by investing in education programs that target boys. Equally, younger Indians are only mildly more egalitarian than their older compatriots: the Pew Centre observed that the age group of 18-34 and the over 35 groups did not differ much when asked traditional questions about roles. This means that the tide is changing slowly.

New vs Old Generation  

It is important to note that most young people today are ready to criticise some norms that were considered normal by previous generations. When it comes to the issue of stereotypes, most girls and boys said they challenged or held off the viewpoints by questioning or shunning. One of the urban girls explained that she was ready to act against her loved ones to improve her life. Lusting after unadulterated independence was another popular term; more than 80 per cent of youth have confessed that they have internalised the gendered expectations, but a large number of them also declared that they have feared the unjust rules in their mind and would like to have a voice in their future. 

Policy assists with these changes. Efforts such as Personal laws of higher minimum marriage age and schemes such as Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BPBP) (introduced in 2015) indicate that the society is supportive of the goals of the girls. The women today even find their way in Bollywood movies as strong decision-makers, variously reflected by celebrity role models, feminist activists and even films.

Besides, the new National Education Policy (2020) in India expressly demands a gender-sensitive curriculum and increased attendance of women in attempts to make gender equality a normal school life. To conclude, young Indians are increasingly aware that gender roles are socially constructed. With growing exposure to egalitarian ideas through media and education, many now see gender as a spectrum of possibilities, despite lingering conservatism among elders.

Policy Context 

Laws and programs in India are used to enhance gender equality, but the social change is slow. The Constitution promises equality of rights irrespective of gender, and over the recent decades, India has enacted legislations like those prohibiting selective removal of unborn fetuses due to their gender, child marriage and sexual harassment at the place of work. The government has started several schemes in education and welfare. Major developments are:  

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save and Educate the Girl Child)

Launched in 2015,  and led by the Women and Child Development Ministry, this multi-Ministerial initiative addresses the situation of low female-to-male sex ratio and advocates the survival, protection and education of the girl-child. It integrates both the law and community pressure (such as having parties to celebrate the birth of a girl) and uses resources in places where girls are most vulnerable.  

Girls at school

The government gives free uniforms and books, scholarships, girls-only toilets, and more female teachers under such programs as Samagra Shiksha and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya. Such interventions increase access for girls to school. As an example, according to a recent government note, the 2020  National Education Policy has a special Gender Inclusion Fund so that girls and transgender students enjoy equitable schooling.  

Economic and legal incentives

The economic program, as the Sukanya  Samriddhi savings plan, offers motivation to a family to invest in a girl child. Acts such as the Dowry Prohibition Act and the Protection of Women against Domestic  Violence Act are created to protect the rights of women. These policies give legal backing to girl child education and safety; however, enforcement is not yet even.  

The overall message that is conveyed by all these policies is that girls and women must get equal opportunities. Through advertisements, campaigns, laws and schools enforcing gender equality, they can build a more productive self-image among young Indians. With time, when such work reaches more communities, traditional norms should loosen,  and both girls and boys should become more balanced and confident in their identities.

Conclusion 

Gender norms in India have a strong hold that influences the perception of people. Conventional ideas such as men should be aggressive breadwinners and women should be caring homemakers are still deeply instilled through childhood in the rural as well as urban areas. The norms influence self-concept: girls are likely to identify themselves with relations and obligations, whereas young men measure themselves in terms of achievement and independence. These gendered notions about self can restrict desires and quality of life; in fact, it is observed that girls in fundamentalist cultures also have low self-esteem due to self-stereotyping as incompetent.

India, however, is evolving. Youth movements, education and the media are slowly opening the definition of what constitutes a good girl and a real man. More and more, the young  Indian male as well as female imagines a self who has a career choice, the ability to make decisions on her own, and an equal partnership. The simplicity of this development can be evidenced by the contradiction between the rural way of life and the modernity of cities.

Although a new generation is more subject to the ideals of egalitarianism, “old views of the past generations run rife to a great extent” in families, according to one report. To shift self-concepts in India, gender equality must be practiced daily—at home, in schools, and media—so youth learn to value full human potential beyond roles.

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