Philosophy of Women Education in India – Miles to Travel in Nation-Building

Women Education – 4 th session 6.00 to 7.30 on 16 November 2013, Delhi

(30 min open + 60 min disc)

Philosophy of Women Education in India – Miles to Travel in Nation-Building

Philosophy of Women Education in India – Miles to Travel in Nation-Building 

Intro --

With approximately 50 % population being women, and the 2 genders being like 2 wheels of the chariat, we must, as a country, have a system of Education   that facilitates  much higher participation of women in all Socio-Politico-Economic activities. Such  participation is needed in the following TOP-TEN National Tasks --

ñ                 Eco-Land-Hills-Forest-Rivers-Water Conservation 

ñ                 Saving Indian Languages and Cultural Heritage

ñ                 External and internal security including International Diplomacy

ñ                 Research -- from present abysmally low to a respectable level

ñ                 Communication -- Physical, Satellite, OFC

ñ                 Eradicate Corruption -- Revamp  Political Administrative and Judiciary processes.

ñ                 Work and Energy Efficiency

ñ                 Make Agriculture a part of Life-cycle and conserve Biodiversity 

ñ                 Revamp system of  Health 

ñ                 Sustainable Development models for  Rural and Urban areas.

In addition to need  to have capabilities to participate in these areas, women also carry the burden of household management. At some time in past this role was  named as “a protector of family system” and maybe to a large extent women were given due respect for this and they had equal if not bigger say in family affairs. Even  such a lofty role is today relegatd  to the status of a house-keeper. I for one, would not remain satisfied by bringing back women to the role of protector of family but would insist on their participation in nation-building. Hence some of the burden as a keeper of family-system needs to shift,  to the Male gender, in order that women are allowed a fuller realisation of their potential in all walks of life.The Education system should be geared for this too.  This premise at times appears to be hurting some who want  women in the traditional role,  I would like the education to empower women not merely to the role of family protector but to shoulder the nation-building task in all walks of life. They need to share the educational philosophy and goals EQUALLY with men.

Statistical view of  women in higher education

As  for relevent statistics regarding  women in higher education I will rely on  an excellent paper by C.P.S. Chauhan of Aligarh Muslim Univ. (2008).

As he points out, in 1947 out of 2.5 lakh college  students only 25 000 were girls  – they selected general courses  in Arts, Science ,  and  commerce. Today there are 10 univ level institutes and 2166 colleges exclusively for women. Female students make up for 40% of total  student population Yet the absolute number of girls that are remaining outside   education system is very  large.

Mostly the urban women from affluent families have been able to take advantage of the higher education facilities. The dropout rate from std 1 to std 5, std 9, and std 11 is alarmingly high, being higher for women than for men. In my opinion this is a clear indication of our failure to allow a smooth transition between non-formal and formal education.

(All tables and graphs above are taken from CPS Chauhan. )

Philosophically viewing, a good system of Education can be judged by these indicators --

A) What does it do for the SOCIETY or the NATION-

ñ                 Is the society growing richer?

ñ                 Is there enough material production and materialistic gains?

ñ                 Does the socio-economic system permit equitable distribution of wealth and production?

ñ                 Is there a reduction in the drudgery of the common man?

ñ                 Does the system permit pursuit of excellence?

ñ                 Does the system permit inculcation and establishment of ethical and personal values  along with pursuit of  Justice, Freedom,compssion and Fearlessness?

ñ                 Do the people have a sense of commitment towards:
a) the society,
b) the cultural and philosophical heritage,
c) the nation?

ñ                 Do people regard contentedness as a cherished value?

ñ                 Does the society uphold truth as the ultimate goal?

B) What does it do for the INDIVIDUAL --
The education for an individual,

ñ                 Must make her better equipped to earn her living.

ñ                 Must encourage her to the pursuit of excellence.

ñ                 Must build up the sense of belonging towards the society and the nation.

ñ                 Must build up the sense of compassion and friendliness towards others.

ñ                 Must bring in appreciation of social harmony.

ñ                 Must inculcate dignity of human life and human labour.

ñ                 Must help to acquire the spirit of Satya, Dheerata, Nirbhayta, Koushalya, Vivek, Santosh and Dyan-Lalasa.

Issues –General --

Viewed for these objectives, the present education lacks  in many ways and a listing of the same also suggests the remedial action that can be taken urgently.

ñ                Too costly  – Not affordable to a vast majority. Speedilyly moving away from the basic Indian philosophy that Vidya-dan has to be a non-commercial activity with good-will, affection and urge for spreading knowledge are the motive forces. This urge is borne out by Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam -- which means We must make the world a better place and people a better people.)

ñ                Too discriminatory – promotes clitches and divisions in society among the haves and have-nots, among  the rural and urban, among the elite and the common and to some extent between  man nd woman.

ñ                Does not teach Quest of Knowledge or Rigour of Experimetation. The country's capabilities for research are at  low ebb.

ñ                Does not teach to question the veracity of basic assumptions. This leads to non-development of a philosophical perspective.

ñ                Vocation and skill training is missing – The budget, facilities and innovative  ideas for vocational training  are lacking even at a concept level.

ñ                Too much emphasis on form and procedure such as compulsory attendance.

ñ                Poor sense of dedication and self respect among teachers – no teaching through heart.

ñ                Poor quality of teaching – mushrooming coaching classes must be seen as its index.

ñ                Lack of facilities to develop the attitude and skills for Sports,  Art and Theater

ñ                A wall of impregnability between Formal and Non-formal streams – No smooth transition between them. This keeps away nearly 70 % student population from higher studies. A  smooth  transition is a needed input to upgrade their training, skills and knowledge. Women are affected much more by this because they learn many life-related skills informally.

ñ                Promotes rat-race and a philosophy of dissatisfaction, frustration and non-compassion.

ñ                No recognition or provision for the End-of -Spectrum students – neither for the genious nor for the handicapped.

ñ                No recognition for experience and expertise obtained through life-experience.

ñ                Complete wastage of the high potential of TV network for education – No evaluation of ineffectiveness of Dyan Darshan channel.

ñ                No proper methodology for Value education – Values are inculcated amongst individuals through their Role Models. In the society values are inculcated through long standing traditions. Both the role models and the traditions have to be re-emphasized through their dynamic interpretation  relevant to the contemporary psyche.

ñ                Utterly moved away from a life-style compatible for a country that boasts for being 75 % agricultural in occupation and geographically needs to keep the agricultural emphasis.

Issues – Women Education faces some additional issues

ñ                 Low Literacy rate of 54% for women and 76% for men, 

ñ                 High Rate of Drop out – Among 100 girls joining std 1, only 20 reach 10 th std and only 7 reach Graduation

ñ                 Two-thirds of the drop-outs are girls

ñ                 % in Vocational and skill education is < 20 of the male

ñ                 Many areas still reserved as "male-only"

ñ                 School enrollment, attendance and quality of education, threaten  to deteriorate 

ñ                 Events of  sexual  harassment results in stoppage of Education.

ñ                 Hence very high number of women in the Unskilled work-force.

ñ                 Hence even lower % among entrepreneurs

ñ                 Education has not detered Female foeticide, Dowry tradition and Dowry deaths

ñ                 Gender Discrimination within family leads to malnutrition of girls which a grave dange for future generations in the country.

ñ                 the teachers are either not appointed or lack professional qualification or not committed.

ñ                 Coaching has became menacingly unavoidable.

ñ                 The facilities at the school for drinking water, toilets, are non-existant or filthy.

ñ                 Girls  with disabilities have much less access to education

ñ                 only 5% of government schools can fulfill the required infrastructural standards as spelt out in the RTE act.

ñ                 Rural areas suffer further inadequacies.

ñ                 Over-crowding of classes

As per the 2011 census we have achieved a  literacy rate of 74.04 per cent as against 64.8 percent in 2001. During this decade  there was  a sharp rise in the literacy of females over males. However out of the 20 most populace states (having > 1 crore people) 8 states namely UP, AP. MP, .Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, and Jammu-Kashmir have women Literacy rate less than 66 %  -- meaning every one of 3 women there is illiterate.

Moreover, mere illiteracy is far from education. It is also far from skilled education. In absence of both, most women land up as unskilled labout and are relegated to a life of drudgery, low income, bare survival, exposure to assaults and exploitation.

Literacy Rate in India as per Census 2011

Sr. No.	State	Population	Area Sq.km	Sex Ratio	Literacy	Male Liter	Female Liter
-	India	1,210,193,422	3287240	940	74.04	82.14	65.46
1	Uttar Pradesh	199,812,341	240928	912	67.68	79.2	59.3
2	Maharashtra	112,374,333	307713	929	82.34	89.8	75.5
3	Bihar	104,099,452	94163	918	61.80	73.5	53.3
4	West Bengal	91,276,115	88752	950	76.26	82.7	71.2
5	Andhra Pradesh	84,580,777	275045	993	67.02	75.6	59.7
6	Madhya Pradesh	72,626,809	308252	931	69.32	80.5	60
7	Tamil Nadu	72,147,030	130060	996	80.09	86.8	73.9
8	Rajasthan	68,548,437	342239	928	66.11	80.5	52.7
9	Karnataka	61,095,297	191791	973	75.36	82.8	68.1
10	Gujarat	60,439,692	196244	919	78.03	87.2	70.7
11	Orissa	41,974,218	155707	979	72.87	82.4	64.4
12	Kerala	33,406,061	38852	1084	94.00	96	92
13	Jharkhand	32,988,134	79716	948	66.41	78.5	56.2
14	Assam	31,205,576	78438	958	72.19	78.8	67.3
15	Punjab	27,743,338	50362	895	75.84	81.5	71.3
16	Chhattisgarh	25,545,198	135192	991	70.28	81.5	60.6
17	Haryana	25,351,462	44212	879	75.55	85.4	66.8
18	Delhi	16,787,941	1483	868	86.21	91	80.9
19	Jammu and Kashmir	12,541,302	222236	889	67.16	78.3	58
20	Uttarakhand	10,086,292	53483	963	78.82	88.3	70.7
21	Himachal Pradesh	6,864,602	55673	972	82.80	90.8	76.6
22	Tripura	3,673,917	10486	960	87.22	92.2	83.1
23	Meghalaya	2,966,889	22429	989	74.43	77.2	73.8
24	Manipur	2,570,390	22327	992	79.21	86.5	73.2
25	Nagaland	1,978,502	16579	931	79.55	83.3	76.7
26	Goa	1,458,545	3702	973	88.70	92.8	81.8
27	Arunachal Pradesh	1,383,727	83743	938	65.38	73.7	59.6
28	Puducherry	1,247,953	490	1037	85.85	92.1	81.2
29	Mizoram	1,097,206	21081	976	91.33	93.7	89.4
30	Chandigarh	1,055,450	114	818	86.05	90.5	81.4
31	Sikkim	610,577	7096	890	81.42	87.3	76.4
32	Andaman and Nicobar	380,581	8249	876	86.63	90.1	81.8
33	Dadra - Nagar Haveli	343,709	491	774	76.24	86.5	65.9
34	Daman and Diu	243,247	111	618	87.10	91.5	79.6
35	Lakshadweep	64,473	30	946	91.85	96.1	88.2

Contrdictins assailing all our development programs --

Today Indian Society faces many contradictions which affect our Selection of Development Model as well as Scheme implementation. They also affect the philosophy and schemes related to women education.

The most important contradiction is about Conservation of our ECO-systems – Our Mountains, hills, forests, rivers, soil, sand-beds, and minerals are being subjected to high-speed and wanton exploitation leading to their complete anihilation. For the purpose of heavy urbanisation, buinding projects, and road infrastructure,  our hills are being cut – from Himalaya to Sahyadri to Nilgiries. Sand beds are destructed leding to flood in rivers and streams. Forests are cut, wild-life and flora is extincting, and Sea-shores are becoming sewage-grounds.

ñ       Contradiction no 1 – What type of tertiary sector ? We argue that such heavy urbanisation, (towards which current education is a major input) promotes tertiary sector of economy which contributes to 50 % of our GDP. In this we have yet to awaken to the vast potential of using our existing OFC infrastucture which can provide internet connectivity to all rural areas, thereby stalling unwanted migration to cities. Further, when OFC network is availble, women can be best managers for performing hundreds of task.

OUR VISION for Women Education should include OFC related trg. to women and such a development model which will promote OFC based instead of urbanisation based tertiary sector.

ñ       Contradiction no 2-- Centralisation Vs Decentrlisation – We have wrogly adopted centralisation in many activities claiming decrease in cost of production and never bothering to assess the EXERGY cost. Exergy is a new concept adopted by Euro-countries for energy conservation. In this the energy required for production within factory is added with energy for transporting raw material as well as energy for distribution to the customer. A decision whether to promote centralisation or decentralisation is based on this.

Typical example for India is the problem of waste management. Waste is a menace to a majority but a source of money to its managers –  more centralised management means more wastage of money and diesel, but also means much more money and high men-centricity. Women with some skill trg. can very well handle decentralised waste-management but the present policies do not permit it.

There are many more such examples.

ñ       Contradiction no 3-- Role of Agriculture and Animal Husbandary. This is perhaps the biggest contraiction. All over the world agriculturl economies are dubbed as primary or primititive sector. Agricultural labour is called unskilled labour. In India we have policies for Industrial development often at the cost of Agriculture. In this we have been ignorant of the unique advantage which India has. Unlike many other economies India is blessed with Sun-shine for most part of the year, which makes agriculture more profitable than in other countries.We have ample sunshine  and 6 different seasons suitable for differnrt crops and vegetation. For last 60 years we are persuing policies unfavourable for  farmers, agriculture and animal husbandary. This has resulted in flight of the farmers to urban areas, creating unemployment, slums, crowding and filth. It has also led to deterioration of animal-wealth. In terms of energy consumption, Agriculture Industry and Tertiary sectors which contribute 25%, 35% and 40 % to GDP consume 20%, 50 % and 40 % energy. This is a pointer that we need to re-look at the priorities amongst these 3 sectors.

Agriculture is the only occupation which is capable of returning to Dharati (plannet earth) more than what is taken from it. Hence much more thinking is required about it. We need to give Agriculture its due position – without being dubbed as primary economy. We also have to remember that unlike many other economies India is blessed with Sun-shine for most part of the year, which makes agriculture more profitable than in other countries. The Educational system must not promote a student-ship that is allowed to be devoid of any training in agriculture. This is also necessary for appreciating the dignity of Labour.

ñ       Contradiction no 4-- I have often heard this question  "What is the role of women as her own identity and as a savier of family system ? Can a carrier women be a good protector of family system or will she lead to breaking of it ? If educated women pay attention only to their carrier then it will be end of Family system which is one of the characteristic positive point of Indian culture."

It is true that all over world wherever famil system has not survived thos communitis are facinng anihillation. Family is a system that offers reasonable protection and care to  all members of family, young and old. Today India also seems to be moving in the direction of old-age-homes, one-parent-family, two-old-member-family etc. For keeping the family system and also alowing women a space in the outer world, we need a value-education for men where they learn to share the daily drudgery of house-keeping that is left for women to  deal with.    

All the above  discussion suggest that we have to choose our model of development very carefully as such a model will decide our attitude towards the National Tasks listed above.  A proper model needs to have its value system  which has to be a part of educational content.

In this connection let us see how and to what extent the Indian value system is relevant. This is how I interpret the values given and defined by Patanjal Yogsutra –

ñ                    SATYAMEVA JAYATE NANRUTAM – Satya including persuit of knowledge and Research – is the most basic for every invention and progress. Vivek is an integral part of it.

ñ                    KRINVANTO VISHWAM ARYAM --  Non-commercial imparting of knowledge which is possible only with Love for disciples and commitment to spread knowledge.

ñ                    AHIMSA  including Non erosive techniques of development,

ñ                    TYAG and SANTOSH, – Necessary for Abhyuday that is, the progress of Society as a whole.

ñ                    MA GRUDHAH KASYASWID DHANAM  – that is, Asteya -- Not taking what is earned by others, but taking only that which is earned by yourself.  This is the most basic statement of Economic development and human progress. It is also coupld with the Value of Dignity of Labour.

ñ                    BRAHMACHARYA – a Life not given to or carried away by bhoga,

ñ                    ASANGRAH – not compelled by the lust to accumulate or amass property.

These values go well with the 1 st Task of  Eco-Land-Hills-Forest-Rivers-Water Conservation. This is one example of how the National tasks, the Value-system and the Educational Philosophy are integral to each other. Similar example is of  Krishi as a sector. Decentralisation of Economy, means of production and propagation of technical and applied know-how is another aspect of development model essential for Equity of Distribution. These examples highlight the importance of how selection of a particular model of development will guide and be guided by the value system chosen as a part of educational inputs.

Suggested Strategies—

o       What Relevent education can be given in 4 years ? That should be first priority. It could have associated research projects which will provide a simultaneous evaluation of the effectiveness.

o       Much more efforts needed for providing education through local languages. Promote children literature – bal-patrikas and reading habits in general

o       Every student who receives 10 years of education must spend  1 year in teaching before being eligible for next 2 years and so on.

o       Invest much more in vocational and skill education – especially in a whole new range of vocations which can be introduced in rural areas

o       Invest much more in cresh facilities 

o       Go for policy of neighbourhood schools so that education will not promote money-based discrimination and divisions

o       Continuouss evaluation and upgradation needed for Syllabi as well as all teacher training programs.

o       Allow direct entry points in higher classes for those whose life styles have taught them  lot of skills informally (and perhaps inadequately)

o       Allow flexi-times to promote genious as well as handicapped.

o       Make education more relevent to Agricultural life style but open to scientific developments and research orientations. ( I am guided by Robert Frost who dreampt of farmers engaging in their occupation but spending some time in composing poetry (or for Indian Context -- singing bhaajans )

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• Some of my earlier articles on education and women issues 
• New Strategy for Education
• शिक्षणाचा खेळखंडोबा थांबवणे शक्य आहे.
• Issues in education -The way to nation-building
• मराठी बालसाहित्य कुठे आहे,कुठे जायला हवे
• आकर्षण श्रीमंतीचे आणि दिशाभ्रम
• कौशल्य शिक्षणाला पर्याय नाही
• शिक्षणाचे केंद्र हवे खेडे
• शिक्षणाने आपल्याला काय द्यावे.
• परीक्षा पद्धतीत आमूलाग्र बदल हवा

Referrences --

http://www.womenempowermentinindia.com/women-education-in-india/

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/More-students-opt-for-higher-education-but-even-more-drop-out-Survey/articleshow/22176026.cms

http://aried.info/00ISSUES/CURRENT/PDF/Chapters/Ch4-Chauhan67-86last.pdf

Observations of Committee to Advise on Renovation and Rejuvenation of Higher Education, headed by Professor Yash Pal, 2009

• In 2009-10, the attendance rates were just 19% for boys and 8% for girls in rural areas; in urban areas, the corresponding figures were 33% and 24%, respectively. This state of higher education compares badly with those in the 5-14 age group, where 87% of boys and 84% of girls were attending school in rural areas, and 91% of all boys and girls in urban areas.
• In higher education, complex socio-economic conditions skew the growth rate. in favour of female students. While economic pressures motivate young men to opt out of education at the earliest possible level in order to start earning, as it helps in marriage prospects and potential future employment. An earlier NSSO study had shown that young women are increasingly pursuing higher education  however, they are still not becoming part of the workforce.
• At the higher education level, we need to do away with rigidity, allow more freedom and innovation, and link the courses to life.
• Existing educational levels of 15 + age group continue to be dismal. The need to increase facilities is imminent but costly.
• Both for men and women the growth rate is much slower in rural areas.