Since the 1990s, women's education in India has progressed significantly. Indian women have had a significant impact on the fabric of education. Girl child enrolment is increasing as a result of constant demands, movements, and awareness campaigns. Despite the fact that there is still a long way to go, the progress made in the last decade cannot be ignored.
There are a number of factors at play. In this article, we'll focus on the fundamental reasons for this phenomenon.
Girl-child education initiatives are supported by government programmes.
In the last ten years, the central and state governments of India have announced a slew of initiatives aimed at encouraging girls to pursue higher education and motivating parents to do the same. To help close the gender gap, several well-designed programmes have been implemented, including "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao," "Sukanya Samridhi Yojana," "Balika Samridhi Yojana," and "Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana," to name a handful. Discouragement of selective gender abortion, encouragement of gender equality, support for the right of girls to inherit property, financial incentives for the parents of girl children, and easy loan terms are just a few of the many advantages of these plans. The outcomes of these actions have been positive.
Meal in the middle of the day.
One of the cruellest reasons for the gender bias in Indian education is poverty. Families with limited financial resources frequently find themselves unable to adequately feed and care for their children. The family's daughters suffer as a result of this handicap. Male children are prioritised by parents due to the perceived financial burden placed on female children. The introduction of Anganwadi and the Mid-Day Meal Program has led to a gradual increase in the number of parents who are sending their female children to school. Girls' health and nutrition have also been improved as a result of this support for education initiatives.
Bathrooms for female students in educational facilities
The lack of bathrooms at school was a major factor in the disparity between the number of boys and girls at the school. This anomaly is even more startling when it comes to rural Indian educational institutions. A basic human right was violated when the public was unaware that female students, especially teenage girls, require their own bathrooms and sanitation facilities. Of course, the situation has greatly improved today, despite the fact that it hasn't changed completely. Girls' education has become a major topic of discussion in India, thanks to the efforts of advocates and even Indian films, to a large extent, to make this issue prominent in public discourse.
Increasing the number of female professors and teachers
A growing number of female educators and instructors are being incentivized to teach in rural areas, where there are fewer male educators and instructors. Schools are also taking care of the needs of female teachers, such as transportation, salary, and an online education platform, in order to make this easier. Women's participation in the teaching profession is critical as an increasing number of schools are opening specifically to educate girls and as an increasing number of schools for boys are becoming co-educational.
Encouragement for women to pursue previously male-dominated fields of study and work.
The scope of women's education has grown in recent years. Many fields once thought to be exclusively the domain of men are now being taken up by both men and women. Increasing numbers of women are travelling to other states and countries in order to further their education and careers. Colleges and universities, as well as financial institutions, are all pitching in to help women further their education. Women are succeeding in fields ranging from the armed forces to aeronautical engineering, from marketing and sales to cricket, from small home businesses to large start-ups. Young girls, their parents, and society as a whole are changing as a result of the success of more and more women in a variety of fields.
Even more noteworthy is that skill development programmes and distance education are becoming increasingly popular. For girls who have had to give up their educational opportunities, these programmes are far more beneficial. Women who are financially disadvantaged or who were married off too young and then abandoned by their families can also benefit from these programmes. In order to reopen the doors to self-sufficiency and independence for these women, these programmes bring them back into the fold of education.
Women and society as a whole would benefit from the recommendations made by the National Committee on Women's Education. We must educate everyone about the advantages that society stands to gain if women are given equal opportunities and the freedom to make their own decisions. India has a long way to go before realising this dream, but it is definitely on the right track now.