The role of education as a key to human resource development and economic growth is well recognised in contemporary society. Education not only broadens the mental horizon of people but also promotes socio-economic well-being of family, community and nation.  It is an important means to achieve social mobility and move upward in the social ladder. In Indian society, well known for its cultural diversity, we can see sharp multiple inequalities and disparities in education and economic development in terms of caste, creed, tribe, religion and gender despite prolonged struggle and affirmative action by the state to reduce social inequalities in independent India. But in spite of constitutional provisions, policies and programmes in favour of women, increase of literacy rate and promotion of women’s education, many social evils practices and customs still exist in our society which prevents women from availing opportunities available for them.  Women, in general, constitute the most deprived and disadvantaged section of Indian society who have always faced multiple barriers in getting educational opportunities. In independent India, however, women have made significant strides by entering in every field of education. Even then, a large number of women especially who reside in rural area still remain restricted to vicious circles of family expectations, gender discrimination and stigma. Available literature reveals an increase in women literacy rate in the last few decades but still there is a wide gap between men and women literacy rate. The rural women literacy rate in J&K as per 2011 census report is 53.36 percent and for urban females is 70.19 percent when compared to earlier in the Census of 2001 was 36.7% at rural and 61.9% at the urban level, respectively. Within Jammu and Kashmir rural- urban differentials in terms of literacy rate are quite wide. Literacy rate is quite high in districts with higher urban population which are concentrated mostly in plain areas as compared to those districts which are primarily mountainous and have low level of urbanisation.  The present study attempt to analysed the educational status of women in rural areas of Poonch district. The study is mainly based on secondary sources of data. The data reveals that socio economic conditions are the major determinants of women liberation than the religion.

KEY WORDS: Education, Women’s Education, Rural Area, Poonch District