ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN RURAL INDIA
Dr. Shanta Y. Bangari
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology
Government First Grade College, Chikkodi-591309
Belagavi District, Karnataka State, India
Abstract
This research paper tried to explore the reality of academic achievements and women empowerment in rural India. In these days women in India are getting ample educational opportunities and moral support from their family and friends. Due to the advancement of communication technology and gradual development in socio-economic conditions of lower, middle and upper-middle-class girls are utilising facilities and encouragements given by Governments in India. Most of the Indian women folks are in the rustic area easily getting a primary and secondary education. But to get college and higher education women folk is still struggling. Women are dedicating a lot to pursue higher education and trying to achieve their goals. They have been succeeding more in number compared to the last decade. Information and communication technology, various schemes launched by the Governments in the Indian scenario. The main objective of the study is to understand the reality of academic achievements and women empowerment in India. Area of research is stipulated to rural India and the methodology used here descriptive and analytical method. Apart from the researcher's personal experiences and a pilot study in rural areas mainly secondary sources used for the research. Jawaharlal Nehru said, "Women should be uplifted for the upliftment of the nation, if a woman is uplifted, society and nation is uplifted."(Leela Menon) Women who are academicians are empowered and serving in rural places have professionally satisfied. But serving in rural areas leaving their parents their places are facing some sort of insecurity. They do expect moral support from their family including her life partner.
Keywords: Academic, Education, Women Empowerment, ICT, Rural India
Introduction
Women in India is known as ‘Naari' or ‘sthree' who has a prominent status during the Vedic period and a lower status after that. According to law, both men women have equal status in our society. But the hard truth is something different and we all know all these things. The rigid customs, rules and regulations of Indian society kept women folks away from most of the privileges and facilities. Modern society witnessed and provided equal opportunities to women in our society especially during the British period. After Indian Independence, there are many more opportunities fell on the way. Today a modern woman is the product of the opportunity.
Review of literature
According to the ‘Country Report’ of the Government of India, “Empowerment means moving from a position of enforced powerlessness to one of power. Women Empowerment would promote women’s inherent strength and positive image.”
Muneer Sultana studied on women empowerment in Vikarabad Mandal of Rangareddy District in Andhra Pradesh and stated as, "Economic progress in any country whether developed or underdeveloped, could be achieved through social development. A woman should get a proper status in society. Her role should not be confined to the routine household but she should be made an important constituent of the society, which is called empowerment. It means, to let women live their own lives in a way they think appropriate on the basis of their conditions, family circumstances, qualities and capabilities of which they themselves are the best judges. Demand for empowering is not a demand for equality or superiority, it is the demand to let women realize their ‘own true self', which would not be denied to women on any basis whatsoever, anywhere, and any time."
Statement of problem
Considering all these development in our society women empowerment has been achieved in urban areas but still to be achieved in rural parts of India. Because of this reason the researcher is stating the problem of the study as, "The academic achievements and women empowerment in rural India."
Objectives and area of the study
The Main objective of the study is to understand the reality of academic achievements and women empowerment in India. Area of research is stipulated to rural India and the methodology used here descriptive and analytical method. Apart from the researcher's personal experiences and a pilot study in rural areas mainly secondary sources used for the research.
Methodology and discussion
In the present study secondary sources have been used and focused on academic achievements and women empowerment in the Indian scenario. According to Upaolkar, "Empowerment does not mean setting women against men. Indeed, it means making both men and women realize their changing roles and status and develop a consensus for harmonious living in the context of an egalitarian society. It means redistribution of work roles, redistributing their values to the changing world and attitudes and evolving new kinds of adjustments, understanding and trust with each other. Empowerment of women is a new ideology for carrying democratic values into the family and society."
Women academicians are strong in administration and kind-hearted in teaching. Meera and Rao both are supporting to the access of information and communication technology which has given a new way to the women folks in rural India."Access to information is the key for economic, social and political empowerment of women. So far no other technology claimed to have given the instant, uncensored, practically feasible, economically viable information to the women folk than the information technology. IT poses new forms of learning, education, health services, livelihood options, governed mechanism and e-commerce options which would lead to the ultimate goal that is woman's empowerment." Sunil Agrawal justified that advanced science and technology do pave the ways to women to lead the society. He opines that, "Science and technology can be effectively used to ease women's workload inside and outside the house involving them as equal partners, recognizing their knowledge, experiences and the significant role they can play in sustainable development with organized orientation and training, there is a great potential for empowering women with appropriate and sustainable technologies. Research findings have shown that with the aid of appropriate developmental programmes women as a mother can become effective agents of change in eradicating poverty in the current generation and preventing the transmission to the next generation."
Apart from traditional and regular education most of the working women and those who are serving as academicians would like to upgrade their knowledge in a particular stream and acquire additional knowledge along with the degree. Such women folks opt open or distance education stream."Distance education is another way of empowering adult woman. The question that how can woman representatives who are pre-occupied with their political and administrative engagements or woman employees who are busy with their jobs and activities can pursue an education in view of the paucity of time arises. Distance education is the intermediate and most satisfactory answer." Both Sekhar and Vasudev expressed their views on distance education facility to women folks in India.
Conclusion
Indian women are now not known as uneducated and deprived. Educated women are leading their life and feeding to dependent families. Academic achievements and empowerment provided a status in our society. Women in rural India are getting primary and secondary education which is free and compulsory. Most of them are pursuing higher education and building their careers in teaching and education administration. Really it is a remarkable achievement in India.
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