RESEARCH & REPORTS
Evidence & Transparency
We place data at the center of our work to eliminate assumptions about what rural communities truly need. Below you will find our active field research insights alongside our annual updates and audited compliance records.
Lead Author & Researcher: Smita Choudhary (Co-founder and President)
ORCID Profile: orcid.org/0009-0004-3403-2622
ACTIVE RESEARCH PORTFOLIOS
The foundational field assessments currently driving our work on the ground.
Below are the two primary research assets generated by this unit in 2026, both of which are publicly available for download. These findings directly shape EIF’s program design and inform our work with district and state officials.
RURAL EDUCATIONAL sURVEY · 2026
Rural Learning Assessment
Published by Enlightened India Foundation | Open Access (CC-BY 4.0)
A diagnostic learning assessment mapping foundational skills, enrollment shifts, and academic support structures among 200 children across rural Kangra district.
KEY FINDINGS
- 65% of the evaluated students face conceptual learning deficits that place them below their enrolled grade levels.
- Mathematical competency shows a sharp drop-off, falling to a 16% baseline by Grade 5.
- Household enrollment choices are heavily gendered, with 77% of boys sent to private schools compared to just 56% of girls.
Rural WOMEN SURVEY · 2026
Rural Women's Assessment
Published by Enlightened India Foundation | Open Access (CC-BY 4.0)
A field assessment tracking female household agency, economic voice, and actual digital literacy among 402 surveyed rural women.
KEY FINDINGS
- A significant gap exists between women having a domestic household voice (96%) and household financial desicion making participation (42%).
- Majority (55%) women married before or at age 21 with child marriage reported across all surveyed age cohorts.
- While 70% of surveyed women have access to a smartphone, only 14% use digital payment systems.
UPCOMING RESEARCH
What we are currently tracking in the field to feed our next design loop.
report forthcoming
Rural Governance & Civic Accountability Assessment 2026
650+ Community Voices | 21 Panchayats
A system-wide assessment combining household data and community grievances across 21 panchayats covering 100+ villages to document rural infrastructure gaps and inform local governance reform.
FIELDWORK NEARING COMPLETION
Young Women Education & Aspirations Assessment 2026
1,000+ young women | Villages & educational institutions
A large-scale study examining the education, aspirations, opportunities and barriers shaping the choices and futures of young women across rural communities and educational institutions.
FROM EVIDENCE TO ACTION
Translating our grassroots research into systemic change and community-tested solutions.
INSTITUTIONAL ADVOCACY
Bridging the Gap: Frontline Realities & Administrative Action
Discover how we take verified community data from the field directly to state and district administrations to align public resources with actual rural realities.
COMMUNITY INTERVENTION
Pilot Impact Report: Digital Safety Workshops 2026
Explore the outcomes of our localized digital safety sessions, launched in partnership with educational stakeholders to protect rural students online.
OUR RESEARCH IN THE NEWS
Spotlighting Rural Realities
EIF’s research and field findings have been reported across national, regional and digital media.
SOCIAL CHANGE
Across 21 Villages In Himachal's Kangra, Child Marriage Retreats But Refuses To Disappear
Outlook examines EIF’s findings on changing marriage patterns, women’s agency and the persistence of early marriage across rural Kangra.
By Abhishek Sharma
13 August 2026
LEARNING EQUITY
Kangra Survey Flags Gender Gap in Private Schooling, Learning Support
The Tribune reports EIF’s findings on gender disparities in schooling, academic support, learning outcomes and educational opportunities among children across rural Kangra.
By Subhash Rajta
28 July 2026
WOMEN'S AGENCY
What Rural Women In Himachal Pradesh Tell Us About Agency, Aspiration And Change
Her Circle explores EIF’s research on women’s decision-making, mobility, digital inclusion and evolving aspirations for girls across rural communities in Kangra.
By Neeti Jaychander
17 August 2026
WIDER COVERAGE
Across Regional & Digital Media
ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSPARENCY
Governance & Accountability
Our complete financial records and annual operations history, demonstrating our commitment to lean, efficient resource management.
Annual Reports & Financial Statements
WORK WITH US
Our research is the foundation. The programs are the proof.
Every report published by EIF comes directly from field research conducted by our all-women team inside rural communities. The findings shape our curricula, our governance work, and the evidence we take to officials. If this is the kind of grounded, evidence-backed work you want to support, we’d like to hear from you.