Why schemes fail to bridge the gender gap in classrooms
Education is one of the fundamental rights granted in the Indian Constitution under Article 21(A). Every child deserves a fair education and opportunities, yet we see disparities in the way girls in our society face gender discrimination, even in education. Since independence, things have improved, but we can’t say they have been totally eradicated.
According to the Social Science Division, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the literacy rate for females in rural areas is 60%, compared to 81.5% for males. The situation in urban areas is no different, with females having a literacy rate of 82.8% and males having a rate of 92.2%. Early female dropouts in rural areas are not only due to poverty but also because of gross social factors like early marriages, sole responsibility for household work, and more. This is evident from the data by MoSPI on the state-wise gender gap in literacy rates among persons aged 7 years and above. Rajasthan has the highest gender gap due to early child marriages, and states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar also have a wide gender literacy gap.
When we talk about reforms in equality of education, there have been various schemes proposed by the Government of India, such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (2015), One Stop Centre Scheme (2015), and UJJAWALA (2016). However, these schemes merely focus on a few problems faced by women and not particularly on the socio-economic aspects and discriminatory norms in our society that are indeed the leading causes of restrictive education systems for women. The Nirbhaya Act (2012) aimed to provide protection to women at various levels, but even after a decade, we see women facing security issues at schools, colleges, and even in their own offices.
Although many government schemes focus on providing financial aid to women, which does help with basic education to a certain extent, the problems faced by women need strong administrative help as well. The Government of India provides various acts for the safety of women at school, workplaces, and even at home, such as the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act (2013), Dowry Prohibition Act (1961), and women’s helplines like 181 for emergencies. Still, the crime rate against women is increasing day by day. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), crimes against women in India (calculated as crimes per 100,000 of the female population) increased by 12.9% between 2018 and 2022.
Given the history of Indian society, which is a patriarchal, caste-ridden society, girls and women, particularly from lower castes, are the most vulnerable section. This adds a double burden on young girls going out for school or college in states like Uttar Pradesh, which has a high gender gap in literacy rates and a large Dalit population. Not only do these girls have to struggle with economic hardships, but they also face hatred, such as not being allowed to drink from the same well or being teased on the streets. They face these heinous acts on a daily basis, making it difficult for them to pursue their education.
Looking into these ground-level situations, policies seem to have little or no role in addressing these issues. Teachers discriminate against Dalit students, and when it’s a girl, the chances of getting sexually harassed and raped are high. In such scenarios, girls are forced to drop out and take up family jobs. Women and girls in rural areas are not sent away for higher education, not only because of safety issues but also due to the fear of modernising women through education. Women in urban areas, like in Delhi, which is known as the rape capital of India, feel unsafe going out at night, whether they are upper-middle-class girls studying in colleges or lower-middle-class girls. Urban girls aren’t safe from cat-calling either, and most of them feel unsafe travelling around, even in their locality.
Every girl in this country who is learning and whose eyes are filled with dreams of the future deserves a fair education, fair opportunities, a safe environment to bloom in and to learn, not only that but also an anxiety-free walk back home, knowing she can reach safely no matter what.
Sadiya Suhail Majid
sh***********@***il.com