Women Education in India

Introduction

By :-Amresh singh

Women education in pre-vedic period

GargiGargi Vachaknavi was an ancient Indian

philosopher.A philosophic congress organized by King Janaka of

Videha She challenged the sage Yajnavalkya with intriguing

questions on the atman (soul).Gargi was one of the Navaratnas in the court of King

Janaka of Mithila.She has composed several hymns and is an author of

Gargi Samhita.

MaitreyiMaitreyi was a Vedic philosopher from ancient India.She was the second wife of famous sage and philosopher

Yajnvalakya, the first being Kataayaneey.Maitreyi was well-versed in Vedas and associated

scriptures and was called brahmavadini or “an expounder of the Veda” .

About ten hymns in Rig Veda are accredited to Maitreyi .

Educational Development of Women in Pre-independence period

Education in India started receiving some attention under British rule with the Charter Act of 1813 .

 Obtained full recognition in the famous Macaulay's Minute of 1835 .

Education of women in India still remained absent from the Indian society.

 It is only when the "Wood's Dispatch", containing Educational development programme was passed in 1854 by the East India Company .

A special reference was made of education and employment of women and the Government assumed direct responsibility for making women literate.

 Some progress of women's education particularly at first stage of education that is primary level was reported only in respect of a separate school for girls.

Some women were also imparted training for appointment as teachers in girls' schools.

The progress of women's education came to be assessed only from the year 1882.

From 1882-1947, the progress of girls education was re- ported to be slow but steady.

Confined to the affluent sections of the society or those families which were in the favour of foreign rulers.

 Starting from no education at the advent of British rule that is 0 per cent of the total enrolment of educational institutions under formal system, the enrolment of women increased to nearly 25 per cent of the total enrolment by the end of the British regime (1947).

Highlights of the progress of women's education in Pre- Independent period with an interval of two decades

1881-1902The significant achievement between 1881-1902 in the

field of Women's education was the entry of women in colleges.

For the first time, two Indian women graduated in 1883.

1) Kadambini_Ganguly 2) Chandramukhi Basu

 Enrolment in women's schools and colleges rose to 3.93 lakhs in 1902 from only 1.27 lakhs in 1882.

The enrolment of girls in secondary schools during these two decades increased five times.

 Primary education enrolment, expanded from 1.24 lakhs to 3.45 lakhs, during this period.

 In 1882, only one girl out of 3 was studying in mixed school, the ratio went up, to one out of two in 1902.

1902-1922From 1902-22 witnessed a more active role of the

Government in the field of women's education Impact of Freedom Movement on women's edu-

cationLord Curzon supported the cause of Women's

education and the similar policy was enunciated by a Government Resolution on Education Policy (1913)

The landmark in the history of women's education in India during this period was the establishment of an Indian Women's University in 1916 in Bombay

Shrimati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's University

Girls' enrolment in primary schools recorded an un- precedented increase from 3.45 lakhs in 1901-1902 to 11.99 lakhs in 1921-22

The increase in secondary education was from 10309 to 36698 during this period

The enrolment in colleges increased six times during these two decades

More girls came up for higher professional courses like medicine and teaching

Technical and Vocational schools showed a record

1922-1947During this period, women's education got a further

fillipReason:Rise in the marriage age of womenthe awakening among women injected by Social

Reformers and Mahatma Gandhi's Movement and also by the establishment of the All India Women's Conference (1926).

 the Report of the Hartog Committee which stated that education should not be the privilege of one sex only

It is during this period that a visible progress of women's education was witnessed

The enrolment of girls in primary schools moved up from nearly 12 lakhs in 1922 to nearly 35 lakhs in 1946-47

Enrolment in secondary schools increased from about 37 thousands in 1921-22 to a record of 281 thousands.

The significant progress occured in higher education where the enrolment of girls increased from merely 1529 in 1921-22 to as high as 23,207.

 Followed by improvement in the demand for women in the employment market

 In spite of all this expansion, the enrolment of girls was only 2.4 percent of their population.

Reference:http://www.teindia.nic.in

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