MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)
(a) and (b) : The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for boys and girls at secondary level for 2015-16 is 79.16
and 80.97 respectively. The GER for boys and girls at higher secondary stage for 2015-16 is 55.95 and 56.41
respectively. As per All India Survey on Higher Education (2014-15), the GER in Higher Education in India
is 24.3 and female GER is 23.2. This shows that there is no massive gender gap in education at the
secondary, higher secondary and higher education levels.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) had conducted gender audit in the year 2014-15 and 2015-16
and found that there are certain gender issues including cases of sexual harassment inside the educational
institutions. The UGC has taken various steps to address the issue of sexual harassment in institutions
of higher learning. Directions have been issued by UGC to all universities to establish a Cell to
monitor and deal with sexual harassment cases. The institutions of higher learning have been advised to hold
conferences, seminars, workshops to sensitize the management and teachers and students about the issue.
UGC has further reiterated its policy of zero tolerance with regard to harassment of any kind in the
institutions of higher education and notified UGC (Prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual
harassment of women employees and students in higher educational institutions) Regulations, 2015.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has also written to Centrally Funded
Higher Education Institutions (CFHEIs) for formation of Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to address
the complaints of the students and women employees.
(c) to (f) : Gender sensitization is a continuous process and the MHRD has been addressing it on priority.
The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 prioritizes gender as an important guiding principle in all
curricular areas and stipulates that gender be an integral part of all disciplines offered to children at school
stage. Gender concerns have been integrated in the curriculum and textbooks drawn up by the National
Council of Education Research & Training (NCERT) which are widely used by the schools affiliated to the
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and also in several State Governments.
Government has taken several measures to increase the enrollment of Scheduled Castes,
Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in higher education. The UGC is implementing several
schemes/ scholarships/ measures for SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer), Minorities Community students
and women through special coaching schemes, remedial coaching, coaching for National eligibility
Test (NET) / State Eligibility Test (SET), coaching classes for entry in services, Equal Opportunity
Cells in Universities/Colleges, construction of women hostels, the capacity building of women
managers in higher education scheme, the Indira Gandhi post graduate scholarship scheme for single
girl child and a fellowship for single girl child for taking up research in science departments. The All
India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has launched the Scholarship scheme for girl child
(PRAGATI) to provide assistance for advancement of girls participation in Technical Education.
Bridging gender and social category gaps in elementary education is one of the major goals of Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Consequently, SSA attempts to reach out to girls and children belonging to
Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), notified Minority communities. SSA has also given attention
to urban deprived children, children affected by periodic migration, and children living in remote and
scattered habitations.
The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abihiyan (RMSA) scheme envisages enhancing the enrolment
for classes IX-X by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of every habitation, improving
quality of education imparted at secondary level through making all secondary schools conform to prescribed
norms, removal of gender, social-economic and disability barriers. RMSA further takes steps for improving
enrolment and reducing dropout of girls which includes provision of learning enhancement programme for
weak students, enrolment and retention drives, guidance and counseling programmes, self-defence training
for girl students, provision of separate toilets for girls, residential quarters for female teachers in remotely
located area, etc. National scheme of incentive to girls for Secondary Education provides Rs. 3000
which is deposited in the name of eligible unmarried girls below 16 years and entitled to withdraw it
along with interest on reaching 18 years of age and after passing class X. Central Board of Secondary
Education (CBSE) has launched a scheme “Udaan” to provide free online resources to girl student of
class XI and XII for preparation of admission test for the premier engineering colleges in the country
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs also have
scholarship schemes for SC/ST students like Post-Matric scholarship for SC/ST students, Central
Sector Scholarship Scheme of Top class Education for SC/ST students and National Overseas
Scholarship for SC/ST students.
The Ministry of Social Justice has taken several measures to increase the enrollment of OBC
Students such as Pre-Matric Scholarship to the OBCs, Post-Matric Scholarship to the OBCs,
Construction of Hostel for OBC boys and girls, assistance to Voluntary Organizations for the Welfare
of OBCs, National Fellowship for OBCs, Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educationally
Backward Classes (OBCs) and Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) and Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of
Post-Matric Scholarship for EBC Students.
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