STATUS OF INDIAN WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION
- Ch.S.Anuradha , Lecturer in Chemistry
- Ch.Shanthi Devi , Lecturer in Microbiology
- Dr.R.Haritha , Lecturer in Biotechnology
Visakha Govt. Degree College for Women,VISAKHAPATNAM ,A.P
The higher education system of India is the third largest system in the world in terms of students next to China and United states. Higher education is recognized as the powerful instrument of socioeconomic advancement of the society. As Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘If you educate a man you educate an individual ,but if you educate a woman you educate the nation.’ So the women education is an indispensable tool for bringing about gender equality and simultaneously catalysing national development. An educated woman has the skills, information and self confidence that she needs to become a better parent,worker and citizen.
Women education has two major aspects ,one is individual and other is social aspect.In individual aspect ,the higher education improves her abilities to deal with the problems of her life,family,society and nation.It also helps her to develop the attitude of gender parity among her children right from health care, nutrition,education and even career.The fruits of her education will lead to overall development of the society.
STATISTICS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF INDIAN WOMEN
As per the above data since independence there is a significant growth in the enrolment of girl students in higher education in India.The participation of women in technical and professional streams has also been increased.
In comparison with the urban women ,the literacy rate and participation in higher education among the rural women is still less.There are specific problems of a girl student especially from rural background mainly include gender bias at home,early marriages and she may have to take care of her younger siblings at home.These underlying factors are responsible for the dropout statastics of women education in India.
SUGGESTIONS FOR PROMOTING WOMEN ENROLMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION
1.Provide counselling for both family and person at secondary stage of education.
2.Introduce attractive scholarships and fellowships for meritorious and financially poor girl students to encourage them.
3.Establish more number of women educational institutions especially in rural and tribal areas.
4.Check sexual harassment and eve teasing within and outside the campus
5 Increase the female faculty in coeducational institutions of higher education.
6.Increase the women representations in decision making bodies of higher educational institutions.
7.Educate the people to stop early marriages.
8.Increase hostel facilities for women students.
9.Establish post secondary vocational training institutes for promoting entry of women students into higher education.
10.Government should formulate and implement policies desist the dropouts of girl students in secondary and lower secondary classes.
The biggest challenge before the government and NGO’s is to creat awareness and sensitization among people of all levels for imparting higher education to women and make them to develop into a productive young women of the nation. However the recent changes and progress are kindling hopes for a better and promising future.
References :
- All India Survey on Higher Education, MHRD, Govt. of India: www.aishe.gov.in
- Census of India 2011. Provisional Tables, Paper 2, Office of the Registrar General and Census Commission, India,
- Analytical Reports in International Education, Vol. 4. No. 1, November 2011, pp. 67-86
- Deepti Gupta: Higher Education in India: Structure, Statistics and Challenges
- Desai, A.S. (1999) Women in higher education and national development University News, AIU, vol 39, No. 9, March 1, 1999;
