Gender Inequalities : A Reflection on the Indian Education System

Education is an important way to empower people socially, economically, politically, and culturally. By acknowledging this fact, various educational systems and policies have been implemented by the Government of India since independence. The changing trends in focusing on primary, secondary, and higher education since the colonial period are clearly visible in the implementations of different policies and programmes from time to time. India, being a democratic country, a good deal of attention and importance have been given to all forms of education for promoting the welfare of the citizens of the country. Thus, education became a pre-requisite for the acquisition of knowledge, enhancement of skills, development of attitudes and values, and so forth. However, still there is an urgent need to make education accessible to all the citizens of the country. It is mainly because big gender inequalities in all stages of education in terms of the gross enrollment ratio; gender differentiation in terms of educational literacy; big gender gap in enrolment in Science and Arts subjects; poor enrollment of girls in higher education; gender bias in curriculum and self-learning material ; appointment in certain positions in schools and school committees as well as in higher educational institutes and so on, have adversely affected the Indian education system. This situation has made accessibility, equity, and quality in education almost a far cry. However, India being a democratic country, demands actual democratization of education so that each individual of this country can access quality education in an equal manner. This paper attempted to analyze the gender inequalities prevalent in the Indian education system, and proposed measures on how accessibility, equity, and quality education can be ensured to the citizens of this nation.