Women education in India

Women education has always been a priority area and NEE envisages the entire educational system to work for women’s education and empowerment. It has been emphasized that gender concerns must be built into all educational processes. Emphasis has been laid on enrolment and retention of the girl child in formal and non-formal schooling, recruitment of rural women as teachers and removal of gender bias in the curriculum. Special provisions have been incorporated in various schemes; e.g., the revamped Black board Scheme provides that at least 50% of the teachers recruited should be women under NFE programme and 90% assistance is given for centers exclusively for girls. A scheme for strengthening of boarding and hostel facilities for girl students of secondary and higher secondary schools is continuing with the objective of boosting retention of girls. Education is understood as an ongoing process of learning and empowerment which transcends mere literacy. The programme, which is not constrained by present agenda or predetermined targets, responds and designs interventions to meet the articulated needs of rural poor women. Free education is provided to girls by various State Government/ UTs while education is free for girls upto class XII to Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas. Vocational Programme with emphasis on entrepreneurship are being designed for girls drop-out. In major thrust areas- DPEP and TLC- Women are a special focus. Steps are being taken to increase women’s participation in educational process, nation-wide gender sensitization programme of educational personnel and parental awareness programmes for generating a positive climate for girls’ education. The present study made an attempt to focuses on women education in Indian scenario.