<b>Gender Divide And Digital Inclusion: The Potential Of Social Networks In Education</b>

The fact that different gender identities are present has become a necessary inclusion factor in educational institutions. Nevertheless, they are mostly non-uniform in their practical application of inclusivity. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficiency of institutional policies, training programmes, and social support related to the promotion of an inclusive environment in which gender-diverse individuals could feel encompassed. The first aim of the study is to determine the influence that institutional variables, including gender inclusion policies, gender sensitivity training, peer and faculty support, have on the perceived sense of belonging and academic engagement in the minds of students. The research is also one that measures the reliability and validity of the measure constructs utilized. A quantitative survey on a cross-sectional study design was undertaken by administering a Likert-scale structured questionnaire with 32 items grouped into major variables. There were 263 participants who were students, faculty members, and administrative officers in both government and non-government educational institutions. The data was analyzed by using descriptive statistical methods such as the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, Cronbach's Alpha reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, validity testing using PCA, and multiple regression. The findings indicated that the internal consistency of the revised questionnaire was high, as Cronbach's Alpha values were more than 0.7 in all constructs. Normality tests, however, showed that most of the items were not normally distributed. The regression analysis showed that there was a positive yet weak connection between inclusive practices and the sense of belonging of students (R 2 = 0.044), indicating a poor prediction dimension. Construct validity was supported by PCA results, whereby the first two components contributed to 52.90 percent of the total variance, followed by the third component contributing to 4.15 percent of the total variance, and the rest was made up by the remaining components. Albeit the existence of policy and training programs in institutions, the latter do not seem to have a crucial effect on making gender-diverse people feel included. There should be more holistic, community-based, and culturally sensitive approaches. The results provide evidence to the fact that, besides structural transformations, there must also be a profound cultural change in order to attain a genuine gender inclusivity within educational environments.