Question : GENDER PARITY IN EDUCATION

the steps taken by the Government for imparting quality education and to improve the gender parity?

THE MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ( SHRI ARJUN SINGH )

A statement is annexed.

Annexure referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3257 for answer on 21st December, 2004 regarding Gender parity in Education

A listing of some initiatives taken by the Government to impart quality education & improve gender parity is given below:


- National Policy on Education (As modified in 1992) provides for removal of disparities and women’s equality in education.

- NCERT has addressed quality and gender issues in its curriculum framework and assists Central/State Governments in executing policies & programmes in the education sector.

- UGC has introduced a number of schemes for improving participation of women & ensuring gender parity in higher education.

- AICTE gives preferential assistance to women teachers for various Research & Development schemes.

- A Committee of Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) on the subject “Girls Education and the Common School System” has been set up to examine existing schemes, incentives and special measures aimed at reducing gender disparity and increasing the participation and retention of girls, in all sectors of education as an ongoing process.

- The various school boards in the country have taken a number of steps to promote quality education in the Schools. The measures include improving curricular relevance and transaction, teacher empowerment & evaluation of the holistic profile of the learners through continuous & comprehensive evaluation.

- The issue of gender parity has been adequately addressed in the design of text book & other Co-Scholistic activities which is reflected in the improved performance of girl children.

- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is a national level Government programme under which efforts are made to ensure useful and relevant education at the elementary level.

- The Scheme of Mahila Samakhya is being implemented in selected districts for improving the literacy and empowerment of women.

- Girls’ hostels scheme is operational since 1993, to provide free boarding & lodging facilities to girls of Upper Primary, Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools.

- Special campaign for literacy in low female literacy districts focused on female literacy by implementing special female literacy through NGOs, Panchayati Raj functionaries & women volunteers covering 25 lakh illiterate women in the age group of 15 to 35 years.

- The Department of Women & Child Development runs a scheme known as Balika Samridhi Yojana, started on 15th August, 1997, for the survival and development of girl child in below poverty line(BPL) families.