Education and Women Empowerment in India

"if you educated man you educated and individual, however, you educate a woman you educate a whole family". Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru Women is the half of the in the world. But the patriarchy system and the supremacy through of male domination in the society make them suffer a lot as they were opposed equal opportunities in different parts of world. The beginning of feminist ideology has played an important role to improve women's conditions throughout the body in the past times. This woman's right movement has an idea and demand to access the education for women's. In India it has also been a vital concentrated issue for both the government and civil society because an educated woman could play progressive role in the development of the country. India is composed to emerge as one of the most developed Nations by 2020, more literate scientific advanced, knowledge hub and economically at the leading position. There is no doubt that in this process of growing advance women will play a major role in contributing to the developing of country. In India there is a requirement for such despite reforms. Little has been achieved in the area of women empowerment, but there is need a chain of reforms for the sector. The India could become one of the largest economies in the world but it is being set that due to lack of women participation.

In the recently early Vedic of India woman has an entrance education but they had gradually lost their right. However, in the British era there was instrument of interest of regarding women's education in India. During this period, a lot of social and religious movements led by notable person like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chander Vidya Sagar underline on women's education in India. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Periyar and Baba Ambedkar were leaders of the lower castes in India who took various steps to make education available for the women in India. However women's educations go to motivation after the independence in 1947. The government has taken a lot of steps to provide education to all and Indian women. This results women literacy rate has thrown over the three decades and the growth of female literacy rate has been higher than that of male literacy rate. While in 1971 only 18.7% of Indian women were literate, by the end of 2001 it becomes compared to 11.72% of that male literary rate.

Women education in India plays a vital role total development of the country. It not only helps the path of development of half human society but also in improving the quality of their life at home and outside. Educated women not only concentrate to calculate

meals help in the improvement of instant morality rate and the growth of society.

Gender discrimination still going in India and a lot of things what we needed to done in the concept of women's education in India. The gap between male and female literacy rate is just a simple indicator. While the male literacy rate is more than 82% according to the 2011 census, the female literacy rate is just a 65.46%.

It is global and discussion that the political rights of women are the fore front of men formal and informal campaigns across the world. The concept of women empowerment was introduced at the international women conference at NAROBI in 1985. Having education is the milestone of women empowerment as it capable them to face the challenges, to confront their tradition their life system. That is why we can't ignore the value of education in context of women empowerment. India is composed to becoming the superpower and a developed nation by 2020. The year is approaching fast and it is just 3 year away. The aim of the country becomes reality only when the women of this Nation become empowered. But India is presently having the largest numbers of illiterates in the world. Literacy rate in India have been risen sharply from 16.7% in 1951 to 65.38% in 2001 and 74.04% in 2011. During this period enrollment women in education have also been sixty sharply 7% to 54%. Beside the significance of women education unfortunately only 65% of women illiterate among 82% of me by the census of 2011 of India. Now within the framework of a democratic polity, development plans and programs have targeted at women's upliftment in various spheres. From the fifth five year plan (1974-78) onwards have been a shifting approach to women's issue from welfare to development. In the last past years, the empowerment of women's has been recognised as the main issue in determining the position of women. In 1990 for the safety of rights and legal entitlements of women the National Commission Of Women was set up by an act of parliament. By the 73rd and 74th amendments (1993) to the Indian constitution which provides the reservation of seats in the local bodies of panchayats and municipalities for women, which lead a strong foundation for their participation in decision making at the local level. female privilege, feminist critics, constitutional fundamentalism and sincere efforts by the state and Central Government through various type of scheme and program over the last 70 years, the upliftment of women in terms of education is still in the state of the puzzle in India for various reasons. The 2011 census report indicates the literacy rate among women it's only 65.46%. It is obviously for below when we observe that National average is 74.04%. The growth of women's education in rural parts is very slow. This means that still a large amount of womens are illiterate in our country. They are in the weaker sections and exploited by the other stronger section of men. Moreover education is also not available to all persons of society in equal manner. Gender inequality is practiced in education which is proud by the fact that the literacy rate for women is only 54 % against 76 % of men as per Census 2001.

1901 5.3 9.8 0.7 1911 5.9 10.6 1.1 1921 7.2 12.2 1.8 1931 9.5 15.6 2.9 1941 16.1 24.9 7.3 1951 16.7 25.1 8.3 1961 24 34.4 13 1971 29.5 39.5 18.7 1981 36.2 46.9 24.8 1981 36.2 46.9 24.8 1991 52.1 63.9 39.2 2001 65.38 76 54 2011 74.04 82.14 65.46

According to the table 1 before independence time the literacy rate for women is poor in comparison to man. This is witnessed from the fact that literacy rate of women has grown only from 0.7% to 7.3%. Where is the literacy rate for man has grown from 9.8 % to 24.9 % during these four decades. None during the post-independence period it shows a substantial increase in general. It is noticable that the literacy rate of man has almost tripled over the period 1951 to 2001 from 25% to 76% (2001). By the analysis of table 1 we observed surprisingly that the female literacy rate has increased in faster send the mails during 1981-2001. From this analyse we can find that the female literacy rate is far behind male literacy rate. The rate play a subordinate role under men. That is why the lack of education is the main root cause for their exploitation and ignorance. Only literacy can help them to understand the Indian constitutional and legal provision which are made to strengthen them. Thus accessing education among women title work in current Era for empowerment of them and fulfill their goals in par with man in different aspects of life.

1. Andra Pradesh 59.7% 2. Arunachal Pradesh 59.6% 3. Assam 67.3% 4. Bihar 53.3% 5. Chattisgarh 60.6% 6. Delhi 80.9% 7. Goa 81.8% 8. Guraj 70.7% 9. Haryana 66.8% 10. Himachal Pradesh 76.6% 11. Jammu Kashmir 58.0% 12. Jharkhand 56.6% 13. Karnataka 68.1% 14. Kerala 92.0% 15. Madhya Pradesh 60.0% 16. Maharastra 75.5% 17. Manipur 73.2% 18. Meghalaya 73.8% 19. Mizoram 89.4% 20. Nagaland 76.7% 21. Orissa 64.4% 22. Punjab 71.3% 23. Rajasthan 52.7% 24. Sikkim 76.4% 25. Tamil Nadu 73.4% 26. Tripura 83.0% 27. Uttar Pradesh 59.3%

According to the table 2 the state wise female literacy rates have 65.46% average in all India and kerala is the state having highest (92.0%) literacy rate and Rajasthan having lowest (52.7%) literacy rate in census 2011. Why literacy rate female is increased by 11 % in 2011 comparing with census 2001 (54.16%) in aggregate. Thus women are growing well in the last decade.

According to country report of government of India ―Empowerment means moving from a weak position to having higher status & power.‖ Education of women is the most powerful & significant tool of change of their position in society. Education also brings a reduction in inequalities and functions as a means of improving their status within the family. To encourage the education of women‘s at all levels and for dilution of gender bias in providing knowledge and education, established schools, colleges and universities for women in state. To bring more girls, especially from marginalized families of BPL, in mainstream, education, the govt. is providing a package of concession in form it providing free books, uniform, mid-day meals, scholarship and so on.

Chaudhary Anjana (2004). Rural Sociology, Dominant Publishers, New Delhi.

Govt. of India, Census of India 2011. Gupta N.L. (2003). Women‘s Education Through Ages, concept publications co, New Delhi. http.//en.m.wikipedia.org. Mehta G.S. (2002). Participation of women in the Panchayati Raj System, Kanishka Publishers, New Delhi. NSS Survey Report – 2014. Rao R.K. (2001). Women and Education, Kalpaz Publication, Delhi. Times of India, (19 Feb, 2011), New Delhi. www.un.org/geninto/bp/women.html.

Research Scholar (M.Phil.) Department of Sociology, M.D.U., Rohtak