Abstract

This study examines the causes of educational marginalization in Lucknow's urban slums. Through controlled questionnaires and focus group discussions, 209 parents/guardians, teachers/school staff, and children participated. Cronbach's Alpha, Exploratory Factor Analysis, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were used for quantitative analysis. Cronbach's alpha scores of 0.76–0.85 indicated reliable constructs and high internal consistency. The KMO values varied from 0.74 to 0.82, and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity was very significant (p < 0.001), demonstrating sample adequacy and factorability. EFA retrieved 1–2 important components per section, explaining 62%–68% of variance, while CFA demonstrated acceptable model fit (CFI = 0.91–0.95, RMSEA = 0.04–0.06). An investigation found that economic constraints, infrastructure shortages, and societal discrimination were the most significant hurdles to fair education. Family wealth strongly correlates with school attendance (r = 0.67, p < 0.001), and gender-based dropout rates differ significantly (t = 3.21, p < 0.01), indicating gender imbalance. The findings emphasize inclusive education, localized learning, and community-based initiatives. The study helps policymakers and educators enhance educational access and quality for impoverished children by identifying socio-economic and cultural determinants of marginalization.