Importance of Education among Scheduled Castes Women

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of education is to moralize and socialize the people- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Education is the most powerful element can change the lives of the human being. In the past in India only a sect of people have a chance to gain the education. In the remaining, depressed classes and women were not able to have the education facilities. In those circumstances Dalit women‘s condition was very pathetic. They have suffered the curse of untouchability and discrimination among discriminated against socially, economically and educationally for ages. They are denied access of land and even water, which is the bounty of nature due to machination of society. The Dalits i.e., the scheduled castes constitutes about 17 percent of India‘s population. They suffer most acutely from social and economic violence of the caste system. Because of the Dalits were kept in the bottom of the hierarchy and not to negotiate with other castes and not make any transaction in social and economic spheres. In other spheres ―untouchability‖ excludes them from transaction with dominant caste society altogether. They are still forced to work in degrading conditions even after over seven decades of independence and all constitutional promises. The worse condition of the women of Scheduled castes changes through education from the past two to three decades. In education, SCs have suffered from exclusion and discrimination which has resulted in wide gaps in literacy rates and level of education between them and the others. ―Educate women like men‖ says Rousseau, and the more they resemble our sex the less power will they have over us: this is the very important point I am at. I do not wish them to have power over men, but over themselves. Mary Wellstone craft reply to Rousseau was written at the time when it was rare for females to get any education.

Deeply entrenched in Indian society is the complex social stratification of individual‘s known as caste system. It is a division of society traditionally based on occupation and family lineage. In India, the caste system is divided into five separate classes. The Sudras (the caste system of Hinduism‖) ranked forth and the fifth group which was seen as being so low as to not deserve being placed in the Castes was the Dalits. Often referred to in Indian culture as the untouchables, these were the people who have the harshest and most unjust restrictions imposed upon them (Desai &Kulkarni). The 1991 census of India reported that dalit communities were one of the lest literate social groups in the country with only 30 % of Dalit Children recognized to have basic reading and writing kills (Namnissan1011). In addition to the cruel and humiliating circumstances the Dalits have been put in their efforts to improve their situations have often been squashed by assault, rape and murder by upper castes threatened by the Dalits search equality (Bob).

Dalit women gives importance to the Education and the changes occurred duly in the study area and to explain the occupational backgrounds of the Scheduled Caste Women in the study area.

The population for the study constitutes the educated scheduled women in Hyderabad district. Though they are spread over the entire length and breadth of the district, for this present study purpose we have chosen 300 Educated scheduled caste women with different employment background like Elementary School Teachers, High School Teachers, Banking, Governmental employees, House wives, Social workers and Politicians. Nearly 50 House wives have been selected in a particular area identified for the purpose of the present study Damodaram Sanjivaya Nagar colony in Hyderabad has been selected for this purposes as almost all of the households here are belong to scheduled castes community.

For the present study data collected from the primary and secondary sources. Secondary data collected from the government and private institutions such as schools, banks, government offices, political party offices and non-governmental organizations. Primary data collected for the respondents were randomly selected. For the present study scheduled caste community women were selected and the unit of the study is individual women in the selected area. For the present study tools and techniques were used. They are mainly interview schedules, observation and formal and informal interview methods. For Data analysis and interpretation tables were created.

Elementary School Teachers and 50 High School Teachers are selected. The study had been conducted in the areas of Santhosh Nagar, Damodaram Sanjivayya Nagar and Karmanghat. In these areas nearly 90 schools are present. In banking sectors 50 scheduled caste employees have been selected from different banks like state bank of India, Allahabad bank, Andhra bank, HSBC,HDFC,IDBI which are located in different areas of Hyderabad.50 Government employees like clerks, advocates, doctors from different government offices, hospitals and courts. 25 are social workers and 25 from politics have been selected. These respondents have been identified through a random sample covering the selected area for the purpose of the present study. The specific area was selected as majority of the households are from scheduled caste community and among them most of the women are engaged in diversified activities as mentioned under sampling procedure. Level of education of the respondents The present study on level of education of the respondents shows that the majority of 42.67 percent of them have reported that their level of education is Degree. 30.66 percent of the respondents have replied that their level of education is Post-Graduation and above.18.67 percent of the respondents informed that their level of education is intermediate. While 4.67 percent of respondents said that their level of education is Secondary level. 2 percent of the respondents have informed that they are illiterates. And Remaining 1.33 percent of the respondents have reported that their level of education is Primary. Thus, it can be concluded from data collected that most of the Scheduled caste women are graduates.

While analyzing educational attainments it can be noticed that the majority 42.67 percent of the respondents replied that their educational attainment is Degree. 30.66 percent of the respondents reported that their educational

percent of the respondents said that their educational attainment is till school level Secondary. 1.33 percent of the respondents replied that their educational attainment is till Primary school level and remaining 2 percent of the respondents said that they are illiterates. Therefore, it may be concluded from the above data that majority of scheduled caste women educational attainments is degree. Parents Educational Qualification of the Educated Scheduled Caste Women Education is a process of development, which consists of passage of human being from infancy to maturity, the process by which he adapts himself gradually in various ways to his physical, social and spiritual environment. It has a great importance in one‘s life. It indicates a degree of sophistication. Formal education is an increasingly by important vehicle of socialization in urban industrialized societies. In the past, family units tended to fulfill many of the educational functions of the school. They were the most important and at time the only gents of socialization. Much education even today is imparted at home before the child goes to school. The following table gives the data on the parent‘s education qualification of the respondents.

The present study on parents educational qualification of the respondents shows that the majority 39.33 percent of the respondents have reported that their parents educational qualification is Intermediate.18 percent of the respondents have replied that their parents educational qualification is Degree. 16 percent of the respondents said that their parent‘s educational qualification is till secondary school level. While 12 percent of the respondents informed that their parents are illiterates. 9 percent of the respondents said that their parents educational qualification is Post-Graduation and remaining 5.67 percent of the respondents said that their parents educational qualification is till primary school level.

The present study on parent‘s monthly income of the respondent‘s shows that the majority 32.67 percent of the respondents reported that their parent‘s monthly income between 10,000- 15,000. 24.67 percent of the respondents replied that their parents monthly income was 15,000 and above.19.66 percent of the respondents informed that their parents monthly income was between 5000 – 10,000.13 percent of the respondents said that their parents monthly income was between 1000 – 5000 and remaining 10 percent of the respondents reported that their parents monthly income was below 1000.Therefore, it may be concluded from the above data that majority of scheduled caste women‘s parents monthly income was between 10,000-15,000.

Ottaway defines ―Education as an activity which goes on in a society and its aim and methods depends on the nature of society in which it takes place.‖ The following table gives the information about aim of the education of the respondents.

The present study on Aim of Education of the respondents shows that 52 percent of the respondents have reported that their Aim of Education is to get a job. While 42.67 percent of the respondents replied that their Aim of Education is to improve status and 5.33 percent of the

There cannot be an educated society without educated women. If education had to be limited to men or women, that opportunity should be given to women, for them it would most surely be passed on to the next generation. That is why probably it was held that ―To educate a man is to educate an individual while to educate women is to educate a nation.‖ The following table depicts the frequency distribution of the respondent‘s views on women‘s education.

While analyzing views on women‘s education of the respondents, it shows that 95.33 percent of them have reported that education for women is must.4.67 percent of the respondents have replied that education for women is unnecessary. Therefore, it may be concluded from the above data that education has become must for women. They were aware of the education facilities, and also the reservation for Harijans in Government.

Education is the back bone of social development and the essence of civilization. Education is necessary for both men and women, in fact for women more than men; because women have lagged behind in race of education. Education is important not only for preservation and transmission of culture but is also a vital instrument for accelerating development in all spheres – political, economic and social. Adequate education and knowledge not only hold strong position, whether in home or in society as a whole; but also supplies strength to retain that position against many hazards of life. The following table gives data on Respondents opinion about education. The above chart shows that 62.33 percent of the respondents have revealed that education is highly important. Following among respondents 31.33 percent of the respondents have reported that education is important. Whereas 5.33 of the respondents have reported that education is less important. And remaining 2 percent of the respondents replied that education is least important. Therefore, from the above data it may be concluded that majority of respondents feel that education is highly important. This may be because the scheduled caste women are aware of the role of education in securing a modern job with reasonable remuneration and they were aware of the competition exists in the field.

Education has become must for women. They were aware of the education facilities, and also the reservation for Dalits in Government of India. Majority of the respondents feel that education is highly important. This may be because the scheduled caste women are aware of the role of education in securing a modern job with reasonable remuneration and they were aware of the competition exists in the field. The majority of respondents got more social acceptance from society. Majority of scheduled caste women educational attainments is degree. Majority of the respondents accepted that occupational improvement contributes to higher social status; this may be because they had much experience in the work place. It is a known fact that the education can change the attitude towards under developed to upmost development.

Acharya Tulasi (2009). Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Education Development of Schedule Caste students of Cuttack City: Journal of Social Sciences, Vol.21, No.2, 2009 Bob Clifford (2008). ―Dalit Rights are Human Rights‖. Caste Discrimination, International

Chauhan, C.P.S (1900). Education for all: the Indian scene. International Journal of Lifelong Education. Deasai, sonalde, and Veena Kulakarni (2008). ―Changing Educational inequalities in India in the context of Affirmative Action‖. Demography 45.2 Kabeer Nalia (2015). gender Equality and Women‘s Empowerment: A Critical Analysis. The Millinnium Development Goal ―Gender & Development 13, no, 1, 13-14 Kirk, J. (2008). Women Teachers in South Asia. New Delhi. SAGE Publication A. Myrdal and V.Klein, (1956). ―Women‘s Two Roles.‖ p. 79. F. Ivan Nye, (1963). ―The Employed Mother In America‖ pp. 189-190. Report of National Committee in Women‘s Education S. K. Chauhan (2006). ―Caste, Status And Power‖,, p. 190. M. S. Gore,(1968). ―Urbanization And Family Change‖ p. 172. a. k. c. ottoway (1953). ―Education and Society‖, p. 166. B.Y. Mamatha (2012). ―Educational attainments and changing status of scheduled caste women (A sociological study of scheduled caste women in Hyderabad city)‖

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Sociology, Osmania University, Hyderabad