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Synopsis The urban poor, on account of the poor socio-economic status and vocational skills do not get absorbed in the urban formal sector and are ultimately drawn towards the informal sector, which, on account of its diversified nature, offers a variety of job opportunities. However, the wage structures, there, are flexible and the returns low, highly insufficient to support their large families. To counter if and also supplement their household income, they work at many places and also deploy their whole family, which includes their children. Education, in the process is relegated to an inferior position as survival for them becomes important. The study, defines the concept of the urban poor, traces the socio-economic profile of the sample households, their occupational and literacy levels, income levels, housing, environment, sanitation and awareness levels, perception of the households towards girl child education, involvement of the households in their child’s education, distribution of resources in the sample schools etc. An attempt has also been made to study the dwelling nature and pattern, distribution pattern of amenities in and around their dwellings etc. On the basis of two hundred four sample households, randomly selected, it has been able to demonstrate that the girl child education does not suffer from the gender bias, a popular belief, but by other factors such as all round deterioration of the environment around their dwellings, poor state of schools, poverty and other economic handicaps, problem faced by the parents in getting their daughters married at later stages. It has also been able to identify two areas which need immediate attention, viz. the high level of illiteracy and employment of households in the unorganised sector. The study is of the view that if these two issues could be addressed effectively, the problem of the urban poor could be taken care of to a large extent.